


Dragon Guardian

by ScytheWolfAngel



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Warriors
Genre: Basically all of the main warriors, F/M, Possibly dlc characters later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-09
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2019-03-28 23:31:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 77,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13914489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScytheWolfAngel/pseuds/ScytheWolfAngel
Summary: Defeated by Cia and forced to bend to her will, Volga is sent to infiltrate Hyrule Castle and gain the trust of the Princess...





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I first started writing this near the end of 2015, so the first chapters might be a bit rough. Regardless, I hope you enjoy my first story for my rarest of rarepairs~ And just in case, because I've never posted here before...
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda or any of its characters.

"That's it, my little dragon. You will obey only me."

He panted in exhaustion, his breath leaving him in ragged, uneven gasps as he tried to muster whatever strength was left in him.

There, on the floor of the Eldin Caves, he bent on a single knee with his Draonbone Pike grasped in his fists from when he'd attempted to keep his balance with it. Before him stood the owner of that voice, a sorceress who went by the name of Cia, and the cause of his current state. He'd thought nothing of her, what with her odd clothing and the way she'd waltzed into his home, offering him a place in some army of hers. But she had quickly proven him wrong.

After he had refused and ordered her to leave, she'd wordlessly begun attacking his Clansmen left and right, defeating the best of their warriors without pause. Before he realized it, they were calling upon King Dodongo's might in the hopes that he could turn the tide against their assailant; but he, too, had fallen before her. Once he was the only one left standing, she approached him, murmuring to herself as dark shadows sprang up around her. By that point, his anger was all his mind registered, and he'd charged forward to avenge his brethren. They'd fought for what seemed like ages, but despite this, she showed no signs of fatigue. But after they had clashed in a bind, she began whispering something in a language that was foreign to him.

He should've known it was a trap.

Suddenly, his vision grew hazy, and his body started feeling strained and weighted, causing him to collapse where he stood. He'd tried to stand again, but he couldn't move, as if something was forcing him to remain in place. His mind had raced in a panic, knowing that he was vulnerable in the presence of an enemy, and trying to will his legs to move. But when willpower proved futile, and she'd made no move to strike him, he'd realized that it was all her doing.

And now, as he looked to the ground while shadows danced in his eyes, the sound of clacking boots slowly circled him.

"Now then, I have a _very_ important job for you," she said slowly, her voice low and taunting.

He could hear the grin in her tone, and he wanted nothing more than to rip it off of her face.

"After I have declared war against the Kingdom of Hyrule, I want you to offer your strength to the throne," she continued, then paused in her pacing, saying in mockery. "Oh, but this won't do."

He heard her step closer, and felt a single fingertip force his chin up. At the same moment, his vision cleared, and it was met with the grotesque mask she wore.

"There, that's better. Now I can have your full attention as I speak; it's very impolite to look away from your master when she'd addressing you, you know." With this, she resumed her pacing, seemingly admiring her staff as she did so. "Your goal is to become the Princess's personal bodyguard. In order to do this, you must first gain the trust of her caretaker and current bodyguard, a woman named Impa, who is also a Captain of the Hyrulean Army."

Within a moment, she was pausing in front of him again. "The Princess has complete faith in her, and will not hesitate to request your presence at her side should Impa recommend it." She paused and smirked at him. Without warning, his body was forced to stand, making him feel like a puppet on strings. He looked down in time to see a dark, murderous look cross what was visible of her face. "And once that happens, everything else will fall into place," she finished quietly, her smirk returning.

She turned away with a flourish. "Go now, Volga. Do as I have commanded."

Against his will, his body moved to leave. He tried to stop, to turn around and strike while she was vulnerable, but a chuckle fell upon his ears.

"Don't bother fighting it, you're mine now, whether you like it or not. And once that rich brat is dead... all of Hyrule, along with the legendary Hero, will be mine as well!"

Her wicked laughter followed him, but thankfully grew quieter as he made his way through the tunnels that would lead him to the mouth of the cave. It wasn't long before he was stepping outside into the evening air. With anger towards himself and a burning hatred for the sorceress, Volga took to the skies in his dragon form.

_'Even if it means death...'_ he thought bitterly, _'I will be free of this curse!'_

This he swore to himself and to his Clan, as his fiery wings carried him towards Hyrule Castle, where, unbeknownst to him, his fate would be sealed.


	2. Chapter 1

He hadn't realized how complex the humans were before.

It had taken him two days to get there, almost three seeing as the sun was already setting, but as he made his way through Castle Town, he was almost overwhelmed by all the sights and smells. He had to admit, despite their strange ways, the humans had a way of life that seemed rather comfortable.

He watched as the people went about their daily routines, and received a few wary stares in return. Merchants advertising their wares, children running and yelling as they played and the occasional couple walking hand in hand.

But their smiles didn't fool him.

Cia, the sorceress that had given him his current task, had sent an army of monsters to attack the outskirts of Castle Town the day before.

Despite their cheerful facades, he could sense their fear. It was almost tangible as he walked past them, barely sparing any of them a glance as they slightly cowered away from him.

The people had good reason to be afraid. He had witnessed her power firsthand, and until he found a way to release her grip on him, he would be forced to do her bidding. He had learned that so long as he didn't resist her control, he could move and speak of his own free will; however, if he didn't go along willingly, he would be forced to move. It was a strange feeling.

As he got closer to the courtyard gate, one of the guards eyed him warily and stiffened slightly, most likely due to his appearance, what with all the armor. Nonetheless, the guard called out to him.

"Halt! Only servants or acquaintances of the Princess are allowed past this point! State your name and business!" he yelled, standing firm.

Volga could have just knocked him and the other guard aside, but he knew that it wouldn't bode well with the higher ups if he had, so instead of forcing his way past, he calmly answered. "I am Volga, The Dragon Knight. I have come to request an audience with the Princess," his gruff voice responded, causing the young guard to jump a little.

Eyes widening at the revelation of the armored man's identity, the guard straightened. "Wait there!" he yelled as he went through the gate, closing it behind him as he went to inform the Princess of the Dragon Knight's arrival.

 

* * *

 

Inside the castle, the young Princess was in a meeting with her Generals, Impa standing loyally at her side while Link, the bearer of the Triforce of Courage, stood in a corner of the room listening just as intently as she herself was.

"We have to double security, there's no telling when they'll attack again!" one of her Generals said.

"What we  should be doing is sending our scouts out to find those beasts! Then we can take them out before they attack us again!" another countered.

"If we do that we won't have enough men defending the castle! We may have gotten a bunch of new recruits but we can't just throw them out there without proper training if they attack while the scouts are gone!" the first man countered back.

"Who says-!"

"Your Highness!" a guard said calmly, but with a hint of urgency as he burst into the room, preventing the other man from speaking. Surprised by his sudden appearance, all eyes were on him as he waited for permission to speak.

Recovering from her initial surprise, Zelda relaxed. "Yes? What is it?" she asked.

"One of the guards stationed at the courtyard gate says that a Dragon Knight is requesting an audience with you, Milady," he answered.

"A Dragon Knight...? Do you mean Volga, from the Eldin Caves?" Impa questioned incredulously.

He nodded. "Yes, that is the name he was given,"

"I see. What should we do with him?" Impa asked Zelda as she turned to face the Princess.

"Take him to the throne room," she commanded with a soft but firm voice.

"Right away, Milady," the guard replied as he bowed, then turned and left the room.

 

* * *

 

After the first guard had left, Volga had resigned himself to an indefinite amount of time spent waiting when he looked to see the other guard staring blankly at him, to which Volga stared back in response.

The other guard then took in his appearance entirely, and began to glare at him when he saw the Dragonbone Pike.

It was then that a glaring contest began.

Volga reluctantly admitted that despite being a head shorter than him, the guard could glare just as coldly as he himself could, and he didn't seem the slightest bit afraid of him.

The two continued to glare at each other until the gate opened, and the guard that had left returned to his post, followed by a young maid.

"G-Good evening, I've been s-sent to take you to t-the throne room..." the girl stuttered, keeping her gaze focused on the ground.

Volga turned and raised an eyebrow at the girl, not sure if she was scared of him or just shy in general, but he decided not to dwell on it and nodded in reply.

Seeing his silent response, the girl turned around and began walking. "Then p-please f-follow me," she said as she walked back through the gate.

Volga shot one last glare at each of the guards as he passed them, before focusing on keeping up with the young girl, as she seemed determined to get away from him as soon as possible.

Lucky for him, he was a giant compared to her, so he caught up to her rather quickly with his longer strides.

She seemed to move even quicker, if that was possible.

Finally, much to the girl's relief, they reached the doors to the throne room. He came to a stop beside her as she timidly reached up and knocked. Then she stepped back, and as they stood there, she started fidgeting. He was beginning to get irritated, and just when he was about to snap at her, the doors opened.

"Come in," came a soft voice.

The young girl quickly darted into the room, while he casually walked in, slightly in awe of the room's décor. He was also wondering how he managed to get inside with a weapon. Surely her guards would have taken it before letting him in, unless they were just that careless, in which case he wondered how they became guards in the first place. He was starting to question the lack of people in the room altogether when the soft voice from before interrupted his thoughts.

"Thank you, Mira, I'm sorry to call on you when you're supposed to be studying," the Princess said apologetically.

"You d-don't have to apologize M-Milady!" the girl replied quickly.

The Princess shook her head. "None of that now, you should hurry back to the Library. You wouldn't want Miss Yeta to find out you're gone," she finished with a knowing smile.

"Ah! You're right! Please excuse me!" Mira replied, quickly bowing and scurrying out of the room.

The Princess giggled, and then turned to face her guest.

Since it wouldn't be good for him to seem impolite, he bowed when he realized she was turning to face him. "Good evening, your highness. My name is Volga," he said.

"The Dragon Knight, I presume?" at his nod, she continued. "I've heard many stories about you, although I never expected to meet you. I am Zelda. To what do I owe the pleasure?" she said with a curtsy. "Oh! Please pardon me, you can stand up straight now," she added when she realized he was still bowing.

When he straightened, and saw her face for the first time, he hesitated for a moment. She had long, blonde hair tied into an elegant braid, and fair skin, along with sea blue eyes that shone with a kindness he hadn't seen in a very long time. She was a little taller than the girl from before, but was still small compared to him.

 

* * *

 

She was waiting for him to speak, but for some reason he was silent as he stared at her. She took this moment to observe him. She didn't get much information except that he was much taller than her. Judging from his face, his skin was just a little bit darker than hers. She was also very curious as to whether or not the orange and red pony tail that came from his helmet was his actual hair or just decoration. She decided to worry about it later when he seemed to notice the lack of conversation.

 

* * *

 

He snapped back to reality when he realized she was patiently waiting for him to speak.

Regaining his composure, he spoke. "I came to offer my assistance in the war,"

Her eyebrows rose slightly in surprise. "Oh? Might I ask why?" she asked.

"I'm tired of doing nothing while my fate lies in someone else's hands," he answered with a straight face.

"I see," she said softly, closing her eyes in thought. When she opened her eyes again, a small smile made its way across her lips. "Very well, I accept your offer. Impa and Link will train you personally," when he opened his mouth to argue, she held up a hand to stop him. "I do not doubt your abilities, but it will be easier for all of us if you are familiar with the techniques of our soldiers. Now then, do you have a place to stay?" she asked as she motioned for a servant.

"I'm afraid I haven't been in town long enough to find one," he replied,

"Have a maid prepare a room for him. Do you dance?" came the next question as the servant began writing on a piece of paper.

'What?' "No, but I don't see how-"

"I see, tell Miss Yeta that she has a new student, I assure you she dances very well. Have you brought any belongings?"

'Wait, why dancing lessons!?' "Well no, but Your Majesty-"

"Hm. Send for the Tailor, our guest will need new clothes,"

'New clothes!?'  "Pardon me, but I don't need any of those things!"

"Forgive me," she said, turning to look at him with an apologetic smile. "But we don't know how long this war will last, and we're going to need allies. That means we'll be hosting a few balls, which means a lot of important guests will be here, and I have no doubt that they will want to meet the Dragon Knight of the Eldin Caves. I'm very sorry to have you do all of this, but it's important that you make a good impression," she said.

"Your Highness, you have a meeting with your Accountant in a few minutes," the servant said quietly.

"Oh yes! Please excuse me, and if you need anything, let me know," she said, giving a quick curtsy before taking her leave.

He stood there for a moment, trying to take in everything that had just happened, when someone gently tapped his arm. Looking to his side, he saw the young maid from earlier, Mira, if he remembered correctly.

"I'll s-show you to your room..." she said quietly before turning and once again darting off at a pace he wasn't sure she should possess.

Finally catching up with the little speed demon, he followed her down one of the many halls and had to stop himself from running into her when she came to a sudden stop in front of a large, wooden door.

"H-here we are. The room has b-been cleaned, so everything s-should be in order..." Mira stuttered as she once again started fidgeting. When she got no response, she began to back away. "P-Please let us know if you n-need anything! G-Goodnight!" she whisper yelled before practically flying down the hall and around a corner.

Volga blinked in surprise, but then shook his head and opened the door to what would be his room for who knows how long.

He was surprised to find that it wasn't overly luxurious. In fact, it was rather simple. A single bed and nightstand stood in the corner, in front of a window, while a dresser was placed against the wall opposite of them. As it was already dark outside, the room was illuminated by a single candle, which stood on the nightstand.

After removing his armor and falling onto the bed, Volga thought about all the things that had taken place within a few hours, and he couldn't decide if he should be angry about the dancing lessons, surprised that the Princess was letting him sleep under the same roof, or wondering if Mira was actually some sort of monster in disguise.

But before he could make up his mind, he drifted off to sleep.

 

* * *

 

He woke with a start when someone started knocking, very loudly, on the door. He looked outside the window to find that sunlight was just starting to creep over the horizon, and resisted the urge to groan in frustration. He may have dragon blood, but he was still human, and needed rest as much as the next person. Despite the overwhelming desire to go back to sleep he stood up and began to put on his armor, whoever was at the door still knocking rapidly in the background.

"Give me a few minutes!" he called, growing more irritated.

The knocking stopped, and he resumed his current task. After he finished and put his helmet on, he walked to the door.

He opened it to see Mira standing there awkwardly, quickly looking down and fidgeting once she saw him.

He blinked.

"What do you want?" he asked, trying to hide his annoyance.

She jumped at the sound of his voice. "I was sent here to g-get you," she started. "Your training with C-Captain Impa starts in a few m-minutes," she looked away when she finished, fidgeting even more.

He blinked again, and sighed. "Very well," he said, stepping into the hallway and closing the door behind him.

They stood there a few seconds, until she realized that he was looking at her expectantly.

"R-Right this way!" she said quickly. Before he could do or say anything, she was sprinting down the hall like a bat out of hell.

What was the  deal  with this kid?!

He shook his head in exasperation, but followed her nonetheless. He hated the fact that it was no less difficult keeping up with her now than it was the day before, and he almost lost her a few times, but thankfully they reached their destination before he lost her completely, much to his relief.

She came to a sudden stop at the doors leading to the training area, and whipped around to face him as he dug his heels into the floor trying not to topple over her. She began fidgeting again, looking down and away when she spoke. "Here we are. Captain Impa is waiting f-for you outside," she said quietly, wringing her hands.

His irritation slowly growing, he took a deep breath before nodding in thanks.

She curtsied in return, and just like the previous night, she turned on her heel, flying down the hall and out of sight.

Shaking his head, he decided to go ahead and get his training over with. Turning the knob, he opened the door to a sight that, while not surprising, intrigued him. Soldiers filled the area, practicing different techniques in small sections of the yard.

He heard shouting, and looked over to see the princess's bodyguard, Impa, barking orders at a group of young recruits as they practiced sword fighting. He decided to make his way over to them, not missing the fact that many of the soldiers watched him as he passed. Some in curiosity, some with respect, and others with a hint of fear.

He didn't miss the whispering, either.

A fierce look spread across his face as he hid his amusement, making his way to the Captain, holding his head high as he noticed that the white haired woman had turned her attention to him once the whispers reached her ears.

Her gaze was cold and calculating, taking note of his weapon and appearance. He didn't falter, as no Dragon Knight ever would, and came to a stop in front of her. She eyed him closely, a hard expression on her face as she examined him.

He then understood why the Princess so easily accepted his offer. From the moment the words left his mouth, she knew exactly how to determine his true intentions. She had planned to hand him over the the Captain from the start. After all, who better to judge his loyalty than her own bodyguard?

Impa was the one he had to prove himself to. If he could convince her, he could convince the Princess, and if he could do that, then no one would dare question his presence.

From here on out, he had to tread carefully.

"I'm going to make myself clear. I don't trust you. Just this morning you were no more than a legend, and then, out of the blue, you show up to offer your allegiance," she said, her voice laced with suspicion. "I acknowledge that you are a warrior, and this is not the first time you've drawn your weapon. However, it's important that you learn a few things. Therefore, you must follow my orders. Understood?" she asked with narrowed eyes.

"Understood," he replied.

"Good," Impa said, "Then let's get started,"

 

* * *

 

About six hours later, Volga was making his way back to his room. It felt good to have spent the day training, even though most of the soldiers were wary of him. He also found that he wasn't tired, but he was pretty hungry, so he decided to look for the kitchen.

It wasn't long until the faint scent of food reached him, and he eagerly followed it back to what had to be largest kitchen he had ever seen.

Not that he'd seen that many.

He stood in the doorway, watching as a man in a white apron, who he assumed was the chef, stirred something in a huge cauldron, whistling a tune that Volga didn't know. He cleared his throat to make his presence known, and the man quickly turned to see who made the sound.

"Ooooooh! Hello!" he greeted loudly, "Never seen you before, you new?" he asked.

As the strange man faced him, Volga found that the chef was much taller. He had white hair and a full beard, and he looked strong enough to take on a Darknut with his bare hands.

Volga suddenly felt sorry for all the Darknuts in the world.

"My name Yeto! Who you?" the giant asked.

"Volga,"

"Oooooooooooh! You Dragon Knight! Everyone talk about you," Yeto said, grinning all the while. To be honest, Volga was more surprised by Yeto's way of speaking than the fact that the staff talked about him.

"I suppose I can understand why," Volga said as he glanced around.

"Yes, but no matter. You not come here since arrival, you hungry?" Yeto asked kindly.

"Actually, yes," Volga replied.

The white haired man seemed to grin even wider. "Come! You try Yeto's soup!"

Volga made his way over to the cauldron, and found that despite the odd ingredients he saw on the counter, it smelled pretty good.

Yeto took a bowl and filled it with the soup, then gave it to Volga along with a spoon. After the bowl was removed from his hands, Yeto turned and began to work around the kitchen. "You can take to room if you want, Princess won't mind," Yeto said as he worked.

Volga raised an eyebrow at this, but decided that he would do just that.

"Thank you, I'll be going then," Volga said as he made his way into the hall.

"Anytime!" Yeto replied with another grin.

Volga walked down the dimly lit hall with the soup in hand, hoping to get to his room before anyone saw him, as he didn't really want to deal with anyone at the moment. Most of the people here were decent enough, but there were others that got on his nerves. He didn't want to get kicked out for bashing someone's skull in, so he tried to be quiet as he made his way to his room.

As he turned a corner, he heard a sharp intake of breath and stopped just before he ran into the person. Looking down, he was surprised to see ocean blue eyes staring up at him in shock.

"Your Majesty? What are you doing here?" he asked incredulously, eyes wide. He certainly hadn't expected to see her.

"Oh, well, I was heading for the kitchen," she replied, looking away from him in what he assumed was embarrassment, a light blush dusting her cheeks.

"The kitchen? Why not have a servant bring you something?" he asked in curiosity, taken aback by the change in her demeanor compared to the day before.

The Princess frowned at his question. "I'm perfectly capable of getting my own food," she said, holding her head up as if she had something to prove.

Volga's eyebrows rose. He had never heard such a thing come from the lips of royalty, nor had he known that she could act so childishly.

This intrigued him.

"But isn't that what servants are for?" he countered, watching her expression change from a frown to surprise, and then a frown again.

"Yes, I suppose that is true. But..." she paused, then sighed. "Never mind. Pardon me for taking up your time. You should eat, your soup will get cold," she said with a smile, stepping aside to let him by.

Though he narrowed his eyes a bit, he decided to drop the subject. "You're right. I will take my leave then," he replied, stepping past her.

"Goodnight," she called softly after he was a few feet away.

Volga hesitated only a moment.

"Goodnight, your majesty," he replied. He watched as she smiled at him, and then disappeared around the corner.

He stood there for a moment, but then turned and resumed the path to his room.

 

* * *

 

Once again, Volga was woken by the sound of someone banging on his bedroom door. He growled and sat up, throwing off the covers to sit at the edge of the bed, glaring at the door as he did.

"I'll be there in a minute!" he barked, sighing in relief when the knocking stopped. Standing up, he went to put on his armor, pausing in front of the mirror to stare at his reflection.

He didn't know how he became what he was.

He didn't know if he was a dragon that became a human, or a human that gained a dragon form.

Perhaps he was neither.

Maybe, he had always been this way. The first thing he remembered of this world was waking up in the Eldin Caves. King Dodongo and the Lizalflos had found him, and upon discovering his abilities, treated him as one of their own. They told him stories of a great dragon named Volvagia, and the battle that took place between him and the Hero of Time.

In the story told by King Dodongo, Volvagia was once a guardian of the caves, raised by the Hero himself. But he was driven mad by an evil power that had taken hold of his mind, and was used as an obstacle in the Hero's quest, until the Hero ventured to the caves and slayed him. However, in the version told by the Lizalflos, he was revered as a divine beast that died gloriously in a battle against a great enemy, though King Dodongo viewed them as foolish and naive, for they refused to acknowledge the truth.

King Dodongo believed that he, a young boy who mysteriously appeared one day, was Volvagia reborn, given a second chance by the goddesses. And so, the giant of the caves gave him the name Volga, in the hopes that he would one day rise to greatness, and regain his former glory.

Snapping back to the present, Volga put on his helmet and went to the door. When he opened it, he once again found Mira standing there, wringing her hands as she spoke to him. "G-good morning. Training starts in ten m-minutes, p-please follow me," she said as she looked around.

Volga stepped into the hallway and closed the door, staring at her intently. When he didn't say anything, Mira launched herself down the hallway, moving at top speed. Volga was barely able to keep up with her as she sped through the halls and around corners, but thankfully, he didn't come close to losing her this time.

Mira came to a screeching halt in front of the large wooden doors that led to the training yard, watching as Volga struggled to keep his balance from the sudden stop.

After he regained his composure, he watched as the tiny girl bowed.

"I-I will leave you now," she said before scurrying away. But before Volga could leave as well, she stopped and faced him again. "Good luck with your t-training!" She called before taking off at lightning speed.

Volga's lips quirked slightly.  'Such a strange girl,' he thought as he pushed open the doors and stepped outside. This time, he saw Impa speaking with a young man who was shorter than both of them. He wore a green tunic with a blue scarf, along with a few pouches, a sword and shield resting on his back. He had piercing blue eyes and blonde hair, and he looked to be in his twenties.

Volga watched as Impa noticed him, turning in his direction as she nodded for the young man to do the same. As soon as the man's eyes landed on him, they were filled with suspicion. He opted to return the weary gaze with a blank look of his own. Once he reached them, Volga glanced back and forth between the two.

Before he could say anything, Impa spoke. "This is Link, one of our top soldiers. He'll be training with us today," she said simply.

"Nice to meet you," The young man said as he extended his hand in greeting, a friendly smile on his face despite the cautious look in his eyes.

Volga hesitated for a moment before giving a firm handshake. "Volga. Nice to meet you too," he said politely.

After pleasantries were exchanged, Impa spoke up again. "Alright, now that that's over with, let's get going. Our time's been cut short, so we've got to make good use of it," she said as she turned away, closely followed by Link.

Volga resisted the urge to sigh as he trailed after them. He had a feeling that this was going to be a long day...

 

* * *

 

A couple hours later, Volga was making his way back from training. He had been somewhat surprised by Link's skill, and quickly learned that he wasn't to be underestimated.

Volga sighed as he walked down the hall, rolling his shoulders. He was just about to reach his room when a rush of air came from behind him, and a figure then stood in front of him. He stumbled back slightly when he saw Mira fidgeting in front of him, glancing back and forth between him and the floor.

"What is it?" Volga asked after he recovered.

Mira jumped when he spoke, but relaxed quickly. "The P-Princess sent me to t-tell you that the Tailor is here and they req-quire your presence. After that, you will b-begin your d-dance lessons," she informed him.

Volga closed his eyes and nodded reluctantly. "Very well, lead on," he said, sighing in agitation. Mira nodded at him, and the Dragon Knight prepared himself.

Mira turned on her heel and shot down the hall at the inhuman speed he was beginning to get used to. Volga swore it was like watching an Archer fire a magic arrow. A magic arrow that stuttered and somehow managed to make sharp turns without reducing its speed...

They were making their way through a part of the castle Volga hadn't had the chance to see yet, and he did his best to memorize what could be seen at the pace they were going. They finally stopped in front of a set of doors, and Mira reached up to knock on one of them. After receiving permission to enter, she opened the door and stepped inside, bowing after she entered.

"I've brought him, Milady," she said as Volga stepped inside.

Glancing around, Volga saw three floor-length mirrors standing close to a small pedestal in the center of the room. Zelda was standing off to the side, speaking with a tall, somewhat skinny man who wore expensive looking attire when Mira announced their arrival. Zelda turned to them with a smile as they entered, and walked towards them.

"Thank you, Mira. You may go," the Princess said, nodding at Mira.

"Of course, Milady," Mira replied, bowing quickly before she turned and left the room.

Zelda then turned to him. "Now, Volga, this is the Royal Family's personal Tailor, Mr. Rossim," she said, gesturing to the walking stick in the fancy clothes.

Mr. Rossim bowed. "Good evening, Sir. The Princess tells me you are in need of formal attire,"

Volga took the opportunity to get a better look at the Tailor. He had graying hair that was combed back, and brown eyes. He wore thin framed glasses and had a very stiff posture.

"So I've been told," Volga replied with a slight bow.

"I see. Your Majesty, exactly how many tunics will be needed?" Mr. Rossim asked, turning to look at the Princess.

"At least three. Two that are suitable for a Ball and one for the smaller parties," Zelda replied, then glanced at Volga. "I have no doubt that whatever you make will be perfect for our Dragon Knight, Mr. Rossim," she said with a kind smile. "I would love to stay and see what you had in mind, Mr. Rossim, but I must return to my duties. And Volga, Mira will come to collect you when it's time for your dancing lessons. Good luck!" Zelda finished, giving a bow before she left.

After the door closed, Mr. Rossim turned to Volga. "Now then, let's begin. Please remove your armor so I can properly take your measurements," the Tailor said as he pushed up his glasses.

With a sigh, Volga moved to stand beside a small table and removed his helmet, then set to work on the rest of his armor. Once he was finished, Rossim gestured for him to stand on the small platform.

"Alright, please be as still as possible," the Tailor said, getting to work. Volga did as he was told, waiting patiently for him to finish. Rossim moved all around him, jotting down notes on a piece of paper as he went. Thankfully, it didn't take long for him to finish, and soon Volga was putting on his armor once more.

"Thank you for your patience," Mr. Rossim said with a bow.

"Thank you, for your time," Volga replied, giving a slight bow in return.

Volga watched as the Tailor spoke to one of the servants, and was led out of the room. Before Volga could wonder what he was supposed to do next, the door opened once more to reveal Mira.

"It's t-time for your l-lessons..." she said shyly.

Volga nodded and followed her into the hall. He was surprised when she didn't take off, and instead kept walking at a steady pace. He was about to ask why when she stopped in front of another door.

"M-Miss Yeta is waiting f-for you in here. Good Luck!" Mira said as she scurried away.

Volga took a deep breath, then opened the door. The room was huge, and had very little in it, except for a little décor. A small woman stood in the middle of the room. She had white hair and a soft face, with kind, gray eyes. She turned to look in his direction when she heard the door open.

"Oh, hello, are you the new student?" she asked kindly.

"Yes. I am Volga, the Dragon Knight," he replied.

"Ah, I see. Then we will start your lesson," she said, nodding to herself as she motioned for him to join her.

Volga approached her and waited for her instruction. She pulled him closer and took one of his hands in her own, placing his other hand on her waist. Then she rested her other hand on his arm. He very carefully did as she said, doing his best not to stumble as he awkwardly shuffled his feet, trying to match her steps.

"How do you like the castle so far?" she asked after she had helped him correct a mistake. "It's not often that we house our guests,"

"It's certainly more than I'm used to," he answered, watching her steps more closely. "And I can't say I'm fond of the requirements I'm expected to reach, but I was surprised at how simple some of the rooms are,"

"You haven't seen the rest of them. This is only the first floor, it's when you get closer to the Princess's quarters that the décor becomes more extravagant," Yeta replied, smiling as he slowly grew more confident in his movements.

Volga frowned at this, now curious. "Why is that? Surely the Princess can afford whatever it is she wishes to have?" he asked.

"It is not that she can't afford it, but rather that she has no desire for it," Yeta said, slightly shrugging her shoulders.

Volga's frown remained. He couldn't quite understand it. Why was it that she, a Princess with great wealth, did not want luxury and extravagance? He had heard tales of Kings and Princesses that would flood their homes with expensive clothing and furniture, and would have many items made out of gold or silver.

'Perhaps, her interests lie elsewhere...' he thought.  'If my goal is to become her bodyguard, it might be wise to earn her trust as well. Then, should Impa find me lacking, the Princess would be more likely to cast aside any of the Captain's concerns about me,'  Volga resisted the urge to nod to himself, deciding instead to focus on dancing.

 

* * *

 

After about an hour, the sun was beginning to set, and Yeta had concluded that they had practiced enough for one day, telling him to come back at the same time the next day. Giving a polite bow, Volga left and began making his way to the kitchen, trying to stifle a yawn as he did so.

Despite having to navigate the many hallways, within a few minutes he was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, watching the chef prepare dinner.

"Oooooooooooh! Welcome!" Yeto greeted him, a huge grin on his face. "Glad you came back! Was soup from last night good?" the large man asked.

"Very. I enjoyed it," Volga replied, feeling the corners of his lips quirk up at the man's jovial personality.

"Good! Yeto could not be called chef if it wasn't!" he said with a serious look. He then turned back to the counter, continuing his preparations. "Have you met Princess yet?" he called over his shoulder.

"I've spoken with her, however not for very long," Volga said, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall.

"Hm! Princess very busy. King was unable to fix many things before he died," the chef replied, a hint of sadness in his tone. "He was good King, and good father too. Always did his best for both Princess and his people," Yeto added.

Silence enveloped them as each became lost in their thoughts.  'I wasn't aware of the King's passing...Judging from the way Yeto speaks of him, he must have been a good man,' Volga thought as he pondered the information.  'I'll have to keep this in mind whenever I speak with the Princess...'

The silence didn't last long, however, as they soon heard footsteps coming from the hallway, followed by a voice when they reached the doorway.

"Yeto! I have a question about- Oh! Good evening," Zelda said as she stepped into the room to find Volga there.

Volga was slightly startled by her sudden appearance. She wore the same cloak that she had the night before, the hood resting on her shoulders and leaving her hair to fall freely. His eyes met hers, and he found that he couldn't help but admire them. He didn't know how long they had stayed like that before Yeto cleared his throat, breaking the trance.

"What can Yeto do for you, Princess?" he asked with a smile that seemed strange to Volga.

Quickly turning to Yeto, Zelda smiled. "I came to see what you planned on serving for the ball we'll be hosting in Autumn. We'll be ordering supplies soon, so I came to see what ingredients you might require," she replied.

"Princess, you could have sent servant to ask. That is what they are for," Yeto said shaking his head with a smile.

Zelda's cheeks puffed out slightly as she frowned. "I'm perfectly capable of seeing to the ball preparations myself!" she said stubbornly.

Yeto laughed heartily. "Of course Princess! Yeto knows this, it is just strange that you do not rely on servants more. But no matter, here is Yeto's list," he said as he handed her a slip of paper.

Volga watched the exchange in silence, taking the time to observe the Princess. He wondered how she could be so sophisticated one moment and childish the next, and why she was so reluctant to call on a servant when she had plenty to spare.

He watched as Zelda's face brightened when she reached out to take the piece of paper from Yeto, and give him a genuine smile.

"Thank you, I will take it to Mira," she said happily as she walked to the doorway. She glanced at Volga one last time before giving them a smile and a wave, walking into the hall and out of sight.

Volga snapped his head in Yeto's direction when the chef suddenly started laughing. "What is it you find so amusing?" Volga asked with a suspicious glare.

After his laughter died down, Yeto answered. "Princess is stubborn, but she is good girl. Treats us all very well. Here," The chef then handed him a bowl of stew and a spoon.

Volga carefully took the offered items from his hands, then went to lean against the counter as he ate. "So, the Princess is hosting a ball?" he asked casually.

"Yes. It will not be for a few weeks, but we always start preparations early. Now that war has started, Princess will need allies. Ball will help to strengthen ties to others, such as Goron Tribes, and allow Princess to negotiate with other kingdoms," Yeto replied, cleaning up around the kitchen. "Yeto hopes his wife Yeta has taught you well in her dancing lessons! Many beautiful woman will surely want to dance with you!" he laughed.

Volga snorted. "I highly doubt that. I am part Dragon, after all," he said coolly as he continued to eat.

Yeto just grinned and shrugged. "Many will not know that," he said as he turned back to his work.

"If they do not know, it won't take long before they find out," Volga replied as he quickly finished eating and handed the bowl and soup back to Yeto. "Thank you. It was good," he said, turning around to leave.

"You're welcome!" Yeto called over his shoulder.

Volga walked down the hallway, thinking of what he had been able to learn in the past three days.  'No one but Captain Impa and the Princess seem to be suspicious of me, and the Princess seems to be friendly with most of the servants. It could work in my favor if I were to be on good terms with the staff. The more people trust me, the quicker I can accomplish this mission...'  he thought as he turned a corner.

Volga sighed as he made his way to his room. He wanted nothing more than to return to his home in the Eldin Caves, and continue to be known as a mere legend. But, he was stuck here, so the most he could do was try to get through it as quickly as possible.

Finally reaching his room, Volga opened the door and then closed it behind him. He looked out the window to see that it was dark outside, and he carefully lit the candle on his nightstand. When light filled the room, he took off his helmet, and then removed the rest of his armor. He set all of his armor aside where it wouldn't be in the way, and then proceeded to remove his boots and the rest of his clothing. Once he was in his night clothes, he got into bed with a sigh.

He laid there for a few moments, simply staring at the ceiling. Then he sat up and glanced outside, only to find that a set of large balcony doors across the courtyard and a few floors above his own, were wide open, with a soft glow coming from inside. He watched as the light flickered a few times, but what he saw next made his breath catch in his throat.

Stepping out onto the balcony was Princess Zelda herself. She seemed to glow in the moonlight. Her hair had been freed from the braid he usually saw it in, and cascaded down her shoulders, while her eyes shone like sapphires. But he was close enough to see the sadness within them as she stared up at the stars. Then she cast her gaze to the ground, slightly slouching as if a huge weight had settled on her shoulders, and closed her eyes with a deep sigh.

He couldn't help but wonder exactly how much she had taken on when her father had passed.

Her eyes opened, and as her gaze trailed up, her eyes found his, and he stiffened as he watched her lips part and her eyes wide with surprise. She quickly recovered though, and gave him a tired smile with a little wave, to which he nodded in return. She smiled at him once more before turning around and going back inside, closing the double doors behind her.

Shaking his head in an attempt to remove the image of what he had just witnessed from his mind, Volga turned and blew out the candle, then rested his head on is pillow with a yawn.

And without realizing it, he fell asleep to the memory of blue eyes that were as deep as the ocean.

  



	3. Chapter 2

It was faint, but he had heard it.

_Crash!_

Green eyes snapped open, glowing in the darkness. Volga sat up, glancing around the room. Seeing nothing out of place, he looked out the window to find that the moon was still out, bathing the courtyard in its silvery light. He knew then that it would be a long time before sunrise, which meant that the servants wouldn't be awake.

_'Someone is up, though. That sounded like breaking glass...'_ Volga reasoned. Deciding to investigate, he stood up as quietly as possible and carefully made his way to the door, grabbing the Dragonbone Pike leaning against the wall. He slowly gripped and turned the doorknob, pushing the door open to peer out into the dark hallway.

Shadows and silence were all that greeted him as he stepped out of his room, leaving the door ajar. He stealthily made his way down the hall, always looking before he stepped and checking to make sure his spear wouldn't hit anything. He could faintly hear a shuffling sound, which he knew had to be caused by the one who woke him in the first place. Soon he was past all of the rooms reserved for guests and walking through a larger hallway with patches of moonlight coming in through the windows. Now able to see better, he was allowed to move a little faster.

The shuffling grew louder as he rounded a corner, making light, quick steps. Walking a little further, he reached the main entrance, and then quickly moved to lean as closely as he could to the wall. There by one of the pillars was a cloaked figure crouching over the broken remains of what used to be a vase, carefully picking up the pieces. Once Volga saw that the figure was not facing him, he stepped into the room, moving towards it inch by inch. When he was close enough, he quickly thrust his spear forward and into the figure's line of sight.

"You had best identify yourself, before I call for the guards," he said calmly, his reptilian eyes narrowed.

The figure froze for a moment, then stood up with a sigh before turning to face him, the end of his spear moving with it. Slim fingers reached up and pulled the hood down, revealing a face he hadn't expected to see.

"Princess?! What in the name of the goddesses are you doing, sneaking around like that?!" he growled as he lowered his spear, half in annoyance and half in surprise.

Zelda sighed once more. "I was going... to take a stroll through the gardens, because I could not sleep... but I came around that pillar too sharply and bumped into the pedestal, which caused a vase to fall... an expensive vase, that was a gift..." she replied, frowning as she closed her eyes and placed a hand on her face, resting her elbow on her other palm.

It was this movement that brought something else to his attention. Hidden beneath her cloak, he could see a small basket hanging from her arm. His head tilted slightly as his suspicious gaze returned to her face.

"The gardens, you say. With a basket..." he stated, watching her eyes narrow. He sniffed the air with a thoughtful look. "Bread, apples... some chestnuts... a jar of milk, and... corn, is it?"

He smirked triumphantly when her eyes widened a fraction. "I commend your quick thinking, your Majesty, but you do not fool me. So where were you really headed?" he asked, seeing her frown return.

She huffed and turned away from him. "That is none of your concern. I apologize for waking you, but I must be going," she replied, beginning to walk towards the large front doors.

"Not so fast," Volga said, quickly stepping in front of her, which resulted in her stopping and glaring up at him. "I'm afraid I can't let you leave. Captain Impa would have my head if she found out I saw you leaving the castle, in the middle of the night, and didn't tell anyone," he said, returning her glare.

"Well then, feel free to wait here for her, or you can do so in your room. Either way, I'm going," she replied stubbornly, holding her head high with a look that dared him to stop her.

Volga grit his teeth in annoyance. _'Apparently, she's not going to listen,'_ he thought, wondering how he should handle the situation. It wasn't like he could just demand that she return to her room, since she was a Princess and all. Nor was he going to drag her back, as she would likely make a fuss, which could end up being very bad for both of them. He thought for a moment, then sighed, deciding to try a different approach.

"Alright. I won't try and stop you, but at least let me go with you. If we get caught, you'll be able to say you had someone accompany you while you were out," he said, hoping she would accept his compromise.

He watched as a thoughtful frown crossed her face. She lightly tapped a slim index finger on her chin, obviously weighing her options. After another minute or so had passed, she nodded to herself and looked back up at him, having to crane her neck slightly because of their height difference.

"Very well, you can come along. But you should probably change first," she replied. "And this stays just between us. Not a word to anyone," she told him firmly.

"Fine, but what about the mess?" he asked, gesturing to the small pile of broken glass.

Her eyes widened with worry. She opened her mouth to speak -

"I'll take care of it."

\- only to snap it shut as the two them whirled to face the owner of the voice.

Mira stepped out from behind a pillar, wringing her hands and looking away guiltily as they both stared at her, which made Volga realize that she had probably been there the whole time. "D-don't worry, M-Milady. I won't tell a soul," she added, fidgeting under their gazes.

Volga turned back to the Princess to see that her lips had turned upwards into a soft, genuine smile.

"Thank you, Mira, but I can handle it," she said to the girl before turning to him. "Go and get changed. That should give me enough time to get rid of this mess," she told him as she moved to get started.

"I'll help you, Milady! Let me get a broom!" Mira interjected, running off to fetch said item.

Volga turned back to Zelda and nodded. "I'll be back shortly," he said. Then he turned around and made his way back to his room, leaving them to their work.

When he returned he found Zelda waiting patiently by the doors, Mira nowhere in sight and not a single trace of the broken vase.

Hearing him approach, Zelda turned to look at him, raising a delicate eyebrow in question.

"I'm surprised to see you have forgone your armor," she said, looking at him curiously.

"I still have my spear; and I don't believe we'll be meeting anyone at this time of night, so it is not needed. Besides, I can fight just as well without it," he replied with a huff as he reached her. When she didn't respond and kept staring at him, he crossed his arms and glanced down at her. "I'm following you, your Majesty," he said casually.

The young woman blinked, then quickly looked away from him. "Let's get going then," she replied, hastily turning around and pushing one of the doors open. Shrugging, Volga followed her outside.

 

* * *

 

Zelda's heart was racing as her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. What was that?! She had meant to answer him, but when he got closer, she could not form the words. Though she commented on his lack of armor, it had taken a moment for her to actually realize that it was the first time she had seen him without it, so she took the opportunity to try and make out his features.

She could barely see him, but his eyes were a stunning shade of green that seemed to glow in the shadows, and the black marking was barely visible. She could tell that his face was rough, but still young; and she figured he was probably a lot older than he appeared to be. He was a Dragon, after all.

When she stepped out onto the stone path, she released a contented sigh as a soft breeze gently caressed her face. Glancing around to make sure there were no guards, she moved off of the path and towards one of the castle walls, with Volga's quiet footsteps following behind her.

When she reached the wall, she placed both of her hands on it and began to press on certain spots. "There's a hidden door right around here. It was built as a means to get to or from the castle in case of emergencies," she commented.

Finally stopping, Zelda pushed. A section of bricks sunk back slightly and then slid sideways into the rest of the wall to reveal a small tunnel with torches lighting the way.

"This will get us past the guards without the risk of being seen," she said as she entered the small tunnel and pressed a switch to close the entrance. It was just big enough for the two of them to walk beside each other, and she would sneak a glance at him every so often. The light of the torches revealed to her that his hair was auburn, and just barely reached the top of his shoulders. Now that she could see him clearly, she realized that he was actually very attractive. Most people would think that the black marking and beast-like eyes made his appearance intimidating, and they did, but to her they suited him well.

The sound of their footsteps echoing off the walls was the only thing disturbing the silence between them, as neither really had anything to say. Zelda was sure that Impa would scold her relentlessly if she discovered that the Princess had left the castle. She could hear her bodyguard yelling in her ear about the dangers of going out at night, and in the company of a man they had yet to deem an ally, no less.

But while Impa would call her decision foolish, Zelda had her reasons. She trusted the Sheikah's judgment, but Impa tended to let her responsibility as the Princess's bodyguard take priority over finding one's true character. While she understood that it was necessary for Impa to be cautious of him, Zelda wished to form her own opinion of the Dragon Knight.

After another minute or so, they reached the other end of the tunnel. They stopped, and Zelda reached out to press another switch. When the wall opened up, they stepped out onto one of the many streets of Castle Town.

"This way," the Princess said quietly, turning and motioning for him to follow as she pulled the hood of her cloak up.

 

* * *

 

Volga walked beside her in silence, trying to guess where they were headed as they turned onto another street. He wondered why she chose to sneak out at night instead of waiting until morning to visit this place. Glancing sideways at her, a thoughtful look came over his face.

_'Now that I think about it, I don't think Impa's left the castle since I arrived, which means the Princess hasn't either. Perhaps she is more restricted than I originally thought?'_ Volga pondered. 'That would make sense. It would be idiotic to let her travel alone all the time, and inconvenient to have guards following her everywhere.'

He looked again to the hooded woman at his side and decided he could use this time to figure out if he had hit the mark with his conclusion.

"So, why exactly are you sneaking out? Couldn't you have gone out tomorrow?" he asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes, if I wanted to be paraded around to every destination," she replied with a hint of exasperation. "I'd have half of the Royal Guard marching in front of me and the rest following behind as I was toted around in a grand, gold trimmed carriage with the curtains closed, hidden from my people, and they from me," she added with an irritated frown.

Volga grunted. "Most people would be beside themselves with joy if they could be taken wherever they wished in such a fashion, yet you seem to abhor it. Why is that?" he questioned further.

Zelda sighed, but did not reply.

While her reaction confused him, he chose not to press the issue. As silence surrounded them once more, the Dragon Knight noticed that they were approaching one of the large town gates. Two guards were stationed on either side, their lances at the ready. He saw Zelda duck her head slightly as they reached them, letting the hood shield her eyes from view. To his surprise, neither guard said a word, or even spared a glance at them, as they passed by. He had heard that some village guards questioned people who tried to leave late at night, but perhaps that wasn't the case here?

When they passed the other guards stationed outside and still weren't acknowledged, Volga was beginning to think that they simply did things differently here, until Zelda spoke to him.

"They saw your spear," she said simply, removing her hood when they were far enough away.

"My spear?" he questioned, his brows furrowed in confusion.

"Yes. Had you left it in your room, it would have taken longer for us to get through. If someone tries to leave without a weapon, they will stop them and recommend that they get one before leaving. Whether or not the traveler follows that advice after they are out of sight of our guards, they are on their own," she replied.

"Just like that?" he asked.

"Just like that. That is not to say that our guards wouldn't help if there was danger; but they can't just leave their posts if you do not return, unless you ask them to send someone if you aren't back by a certain time," she said as she led him onto a dirt road.

"I see," he replied, deciding to keep that in mind.

Volga looked up to see that the road went into the forest he had come through the day he had first arrived, and he wondered just what it was she needed to do there at that time of night.

"Where were you born, Volga?" she asked suddenly.

Volga blinked and looked at her to see that she was staring at him curiously. Why had she asked that of all things?

"I don't know," he answered, unsure of where this was going.

"You don't know?" she prodded lightly, her blue eyes shining.

"No. I don't remember anything before being found by the Lizalfos and Dinolfos in the caves," he said absentmindedly, wondering about her sudden interest.

"I see. Then you have no memory of your parents," she said with a hint of disappointment.

"I'm afraid not," was his short reply.

She turned away from him then, her gaze lowering to the ground in what looked like disappointment.

His brow furrowed. "This displeases you," he stated, now even more confused.

A sad smile formed on her lips. "It's not important," she replied, looking ahead of them as they reached the treeline.

As they entered the forest, the shadows of the trees enveloped them, with a few rays of moonlight slipping through the branches. They walked for a few minutes until Zelda veered off of the road and went deeper into the woods. Volga followed her quietly, careful to watch his step as they trudged through the bushes.

"Where are we going?" he asked, growing impatient.

"It's not much farther now," she replied.

They passed through a few more bushes, and suddenly he saw a small cabin. He blinked a few times, taking in its appearance. It looked a little old, but not run down entirely. He could see the light of a candle flickering through the window. Zelda walked up to the front door and knocked a few times as Volga slowly trailed behind her. After a minute or so, the door creaked open to reveal a young boy who looked to be around fifteen, with short, dark brown hair and hazel eyes.

"P-Princess!" he said, eyes gleaming as they widened in surprise.

"Hello Nakoh," Zelda smiled.

"Nakoooh, who is it?" asked a little girl, who appeared to be nine years old, that had appeared behind the boy. She had curly brown hair that was a lighter shade than the boy's. Her violet eyes lit up when she saw them. "You came, you came!" she said excitedly. Then her gaze landed on Volga. Her mouth formed an 'o' as she stared up at him. "You brought a friend?" she asked curiously.

"And hello to you too, Aphei. This is Volga. He's not from here, but he's going to be staying at the castle for awhile. Is your mother home?" Zelda asked, looking between the two of them.

The boy, Nakoh, eyed Volga skeptically before opening the door fully. "She's here. Come on in," he said, stepping aside to let them through.

"I'll go get Momma!" Aphei said, running through the house.

"Thank you," Zelda said kindly as she stepped inside.

When Volga followed after her, he looked down to find that Nakoh was still frowning at him. They stared at each other, the boy's frown gradually turning into a scowl while Volga's face remained blank. Before he could ask what the problem was, the boy turned away with a huff and closed the door, then walked over to where Zelda was waiting.

"Please, sit down," Nakoh said, flashing the Princess a grin.

Zelda smiled at him. "Don't worry about me. I don't mind waiting," she replied.

Volga watched them for a moment, noting how quickly Nakoh's mood brightened when she smiled at him.

Then it clicked.

The Dragon Knight struggled to contain the smirk that threatened to spread across his face. He was going to have fun with this.

"Come on, Momma!" came Aphei's voice as she dragged an older woman into the room.

"Yes, yes, I know," the mother chuckled lightly. When they reached the den, Aphei released her mother's hand. "Hello, your Highness," she said with a bright smile. She had dark brown hair and pale blue eyes.

"Good evening, Nemi. And please, call me Zelda. We've known each other long enough to drop the formalities," the Princess replied.

"If you insist," Nemi said. Then she stopped and turned to Volga in surprise. "Who is this?" she asked, head tilted.

"Ah! This is Volga. He, um, caught me leaving the castle," Zelda said with an apologetic yet nervous smile.

"It was bound to happen," Nemi said with a smile as she shook her head. "That's alright though. Why don't we all take a seat?" she offered kindly, as she made her way to some chairs and a sofa by a small fireplace.

"Alright," Zelda replied, then turned to Nakoh."Here you are. I hope it's enough," she said as she handed him the basket she'd brought.

"Thank you very much!" Nakoh said with a bright smile, then he took the basket through a door that Volga assumed led to the kitchen.

As Nakoh left the room they all walked over and sat down, except for Volga, who chose to stand behind the Princess.

"I'm sorry I could not make it sooner. I wanted to come the day after the attack, but I couldn't get away," Zelda said, her eyes downcast.

Nemi shook her head. "Don't be sorry. You're a Princess. Your first priority is to stay safe, so that you may decide the best course of action, both in your counterattack and in the defense of your people. We definitely heard the battle, but it did not reach us. We were just fine," she said with a firm nod.

Zelda nodded back. "I'm glad to hear it," she said with relief. Then she glanced up at the older woman. "But, while I did come to make sure everything was alright, I actually need your help," the Princess added, her face becoming serious.

Nemi mirrored Zelda's expression, although a hint of bewilderment remained. "I don't know what I could possibly give you, but I'll gladly provide it if I can," she replied.

Zelda smiled gratefully. "Thank you, I really appreciate it." she said, before turning serious again. "Nemi, I apologize if this is too straightforward, but... I would like to know how you knew my father," she finished, her gaze never wavering.

Volga slightly raised a brow at this. _'So, she knew the King, did she? Interesting...'_ he thought. These people were a goldmine of information.

Nemi stiffened and her eyes went wide, before whispering "Not here," to the Princess. Then, slowly, she turned to the other three occupants in the room. "Aphei, why don't you get Nakoh to help you show Volga your collection while Momma takes Zelda to the garden?" she asked with a shaky smile as she and Zelda stood.

Said man's eyes nearly fell out of his head, whereas Aphei's brightened immensely.

"Okay!" the girl squealed excitedly as she jumped up and ran to him, grabbing his hand. "C'mon Mr. Volga!" she grinned, tugging him towards another room.

For the first time in years, he panicked.

_'Goddesses, no! Adults are one thing, children are another!'_ his mind screamed. His eyes frantically found Zelda's, and he silently begged her to save him.

The Princess, however, just smiled when she saw the helpless look in his eyes.

"We'll be back soon!" she called cheerily, as she and Nemi went out the front door before he could say anything.

Sighing in defeat, he nervously and reluctantly followed Aphei, with Nakoh trailing after them. They entered a small room with two beds, which he figured was their bedroom.

The small girl led him to a chest that rested beside one of the beds and knelt down in front of it, then looked up at him with a bright smile and gestured for him to do the same. He grumbled slightly, but got down on his knees next to her, as Nakoh went and sat on one of the beds. Aphei reached forward and opened the chest, then leaned back with a proud look.

Once he had leaned forward to look inside, he could understand her pride, for inside of the unassuming box was, to him, a breathtaking sight.

Nestled safely in the bottom were hundreds of beautiful, gleaming gems he had never before laid eyes on, along with many he had only found a time or two. Sure, he had seen the crystals in the Eldin Caves plenty of times, but even they could not compare to the tiny stones that now lay before him. There had to be at least one of every gemstone known to exist in there.

All colors, shapes and sizes could be seen. From the palest of blues to the most fiery of reds, the little gems shone brilliantly in the dim light. He couldn't believe his eyes. Many of them would fetch an incredible price on their own, but all of them together? This family could afford to live like nobles!

"This is my gem collection!" Aphei said excitedly, picking up a gem that was green, with a little bit of blue and red mixed in, and holding it out to him. "I've been collecting them ever since Daddy and I found this one in one of the forest caves!" she beamed.

"Your father let you run around in caves?" Volga asked, picking up the gem.

"Mhm! Daddy was an explorer, and sometimes he would let me and Nakoh go with him on his adventures!" said giddily.

"I see. Where is he now?" he asked absentmindedly.

"On some island," Nakoh spoke up. "He left two years ago for an overseas expedition," he said with a hint of bitterness in his tone.

Aphei rolled her eyes. "Nakoh wanted to go with him, but Daddy made him stay with us. But even though we haven't seen him in a long time, Daddy tells us all about the places he visits in his letters, so I don't see why Nakoh pouts about it all the time," she added as Volga returned the gem so she could put it back.

"Whatever," Nakoh huffed, then turned to Volga. "So why are you with the Princess? She's never mentioned you before," his eyes narrowed.

"She told you before. I'm going to be staying in the castle for awhile," Volga replied, not even sparing a glance in the boy's direction.

Nakoh scowled. "That doesn't explain how you got invited to stay there in the first place. The only people allowed to stay in the castle other than the Royal family, guard and servants, are nobles and royals that are acquainted with the family, whether they're local or otherwise. So which one are you? And what's with the spear?" he asked with narrowed eyes, bringing up the weapon fastened to Volga's back for the first time.

Aphei glared at her brother. "Nakoh! Momma says we shouldn't ask questions when it's none of our business!" she said sternly.

"It is my business! He's in my house, isn't he?!" Nakoh growled back.

"He's our guest, and Princess Zelda's friend! Just because you have a crush on her doesn't mean you should be rude to him!" Aphei retorted, standing up and placing her hands on her hips.

Nakoh spluttered as his face turned red. "S-shut up!" he yelled, using a hand to cover his face.

The Dragon Knight raised a brow at their squabble, fighting the amused smirk that was eager to spread. "Very well then, since you're so curious, I'll tell you," he said, causing both kids to look at him. "I came here the day after the monsters attacked, and I offered to aid the Princess for the duration of the war. This spear is my weapon of choice, and I brought it with me just in case more monsters showed up while we were out tonight," he told them casually.

"So you're a warrior?! That's so cool!" Aphei said, bouncing excitedly.

Nakoh still seemed skeptical; but his scowl had lessened to a minor frown, at least.

"I'm not just any Warrior, I'm a Dragon Knight," Volga said proudly.

Aphei stopped bouncing to look at him curiously. "A Dragon Knight? What's that?" she asked, her head tilted.

He paused. How could he explain it without giving away the fact that he was part Dragon? Not that he cared if they knew, but if word got back to Castle Town, it could cause a ruckus. He decided to go with a half-truth.

"A Dragon Knight has special powers that normal knights don't have. I, for example, can use... magic, to control fire," he answered.

"Really? Cool! Can you show us? Please?" the little girl begged, eyes wide and hopeful.

"I don't know if that's a good idea. What if he burns the house down?" Nakoh said, scowling again.

"It's alright. I can manage a small flame," Volga replied. "Here, watch,"

He took in a small gulp of air and held up his palm, then breathed a light trail of fire onto it, causing a small fireball to form in his hand. Even after the fire trail went out, the little flame in his hand stayed lit as he held it out for them to get a better look.

"See? It's fine. Don't touch it though," he told them, watching as their eyes widened in fascination. Nakoh, still frowning, got off the bed to sit beside them and look closely at it, unable to hide his interest.

"Whooa... It's so pretty..." Aphei whispered in awe.

"Where did you learn to do that?" Nakoh asked, glancing up at him.

"My family taught me." Well, it wasn't a lie.

Aphei looked up at him as well. "Can you teach us? I wanna do that too!" she said eagerly.

"I'm not so certain that can be done," he replied. Sure, the Hero of the goddesses had been known to use fire in many different ways throughout the eras, but he never created his own. Despite being more than just the average person, he still required a spell or an enchanted weapon to actually wield it.

"No fair..." Aphei whined, crossing her arms with a pout as she looked at the fireball longingly.

"That's not to say it's impossible," he added quickly, extinguishing the flame. "But if it is, I'm not the right person to ask for instruction. If you really wish to learn, then I suggest you find someone who is well versed in the magic arts," he told them.

Nakoh began to look defeated. "Where are we supposed to find someone like that?" he asked.

"I'm sure the Princess knows someone. Perhaps you should try asking her?" Volga suggested, looking between the two of them.

"Yeah! If anyone will know, it's Princess Zelda! We can ask her when she comes back with Momma!" Aphei beamed once more.

Nakoh seemed to brighten at that, almost looking happy as he watched Aphei bouncing with excitement.

Volga smiled slightly, glad that they seemed at ease with him.

Nakoh's gaze landed on him, then he turned away with a huff. "Hmph. Why don't you ask her?" he growled bitterly.

Well, mostly.

"Nakoh!" Aphei snapped.

Volga raised a brow. "You're really going to pass up the chance to have a full conversation with the Princess? Very well, I'll gladly ask her myself," he said with a slightly teasing tone.

Nakoh gaped for a second. "I'll do it!" he yelled quickly, standing and going back to sit on the bed.

He and Aphei smirked at the boy's reaction, and he was about to say more when they heard the door open. They all stood, and Aphei closed the chest before running into the other room with Nakoh and Volga following after.

When they entered the living room, he saw that Zelda and Nemi were standing by the door, whispering to each other, but stopped when Aphei bounced up to them.

"Welcome back!" she greeted cheerily.

"Thank you, dear," Nemi smiled sweetly before turning back to Zelda. "Is there anything else I can do for you?" she asked.

"No, thank you. That was all I needed," Zelda replied with a shake of her head.

"Alright then, if you're sure," Nemi said as she moved over to the sofa, while Aphei and Nakoh approached the Princess. Volga opted to stand off to the side of the room.

"Princess? Can we ask you something?" Aphei asked shyly.

Volga's gaze moved from the children to Zelda, listening intently as if her next words were of critical importance. The reason why was unknown to him.

"Of course," she replied with a smile.

The Dragon Knight watched as Nakoh stepped forward. "We were wondering... if you knew someone who could teach us to use magic," he said, a hopeful look in his eyes.

Nemi's head whipped to look in her son's direction. "You what?!" she exclaimed.

Zelda looked slightly bewildered, glancing between Nemi and Nakoh until they finally rested on the mother. "While that is surprising, it might not be a bad idea," she said thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?" Nemi asked.

"Well, if they were to learn magic, that would give them a means to defend themselves, and you as well if need be. Actually, it would probably be best if all three of you learned to use it," Zelda replied.

"Well, when you say it like that..." the mother said, looking down in thought.

Zelda turned back to the children. "To answer your question, yes, I do know someone. However, she doesn't come to Castle Town often," she told them.

"That's fine, but when does she get here?" Nakoh asked, seeming to get enthusiastic about the idea.

"She mostly comes around spring and summer, but I'm afraid there's no official day or time. She arrives when she arrives," the Princess answered with an apologetic look.

"Aaawww," Aphei said dejectedly, looking down at the ground while Nakoh deflated slightly.

Zelda looked thoughtful for a moment, then placed a hand on the little girl's head, bending down slightly to Aphei's height.

"Don't worry. I can't promise anything, but I'll try to contact her and find out if she would be willing to teach you," the Princess said, smiling sweetly.

Both kids brightened immensely, and Aphei was quick to wrap her arms around Zelda's waist when she straightened. Though she kept a serene smile, it was obvious she was glad that the children were happy again.

Nemi also grinned at their lifted spirits, and turned to the young woman. "Thank you, Zelda," she said with a nod, smiling more when the young woman returned it.

Volga closed his eyes and listened as the siblings chatted excitedly about the things they could learn, oddly pleased. Then a thought struck him.

_'Why did hearing her response feel so... satisfying?'_ he wondered, brows furrowing in confusion. _'And what was I waiting for anyway?'_ he added, growing more puzzled by the minute.

Sighing, he decided to decipher his emotions later, and instead turned to look out the window to see that the moon had moved quite a bit since he had been woken. Doubting that the Princess had intended to stay out as long as they had, he turned to face her.

"Pardon me, your Majesty, but how long did you intend to be out?" he asked her, moving closer to the small group.

He saw her eyes widen in alarm, and she quickly glanced out the window.

"Oh my..." she murmured, then whipped around to look at him. "We've been gone far too long. We should leave now if we're to have any chance of getting back inside before Impa discovers our absence," she told him. Then she bowed to Nemi and the children. "We will leave you now. Thank you for your help, and I apologize for keeping you so long," she said as she straightened.

Nemi waved her hand dismissively. "None of that now, you know we always enjoy your company. And thank you for the basket," she said.

"You're quite welcome. Please don't hesitate to ask if you need anything," Zelda replied as she pulled the hood of her cloak back over her head.

Nemi stood and approached them, extending a hand to Volga.

"It was nice to meet you. You two take care," she said.

"Likewise," Volga nodded, taking the offered hand and giving a firm shake.

He and Zelda stepped outside, and she turned around to wave to them as the family bade them goodnight.

"Goodnight!" Zelda called back softly, watching as Nemi smiled at them and closed the door, before turning around and heading into the forest.

Volga followed her quietly, watchful of their surroundings as they made their way back to the main road. He listened to the chirping crickets and muffled footsteps that filled the silence around them, feeling a calmness wash over him. While he loved his home in the Eldin Caves, he found that the blistering heat and flowing lava could not compare to the quiet serenity of Hyrule's forests.

_'I wouldn't mind living in a place like this,'_ he thought, his gaze landing on the Princess who was a few steps ahead of him, his eyes full of curiosity. He didn't know why, but he found that the more time he spent with her, the more interesting she became. He had met a fair amount of people during his life, but she was...

She was different, and he was beginning to see that her personality was one that caught people off guard.

Or at least, people like him.

Her footsteps were light, so much so that he probably wouldn't have been able to hear them if he hadn't been born with Dragon blood. Her breathing was steady as they walked, and she didn't seem fatigued in the slightest, which made sense if she had been coming out there as often as her conversations with Nemi implied.

And with that, a question came to mind, so he quickened his pace to walk beside her.

"If you don't mind my asking, I have a question for you," he said casually as he reached her, turning his head slightly to glance down at her.

"Not at all," she replied, looking at him briefly before her gaze returned to her path.

"How many times have you come out here? You seem rather close to them," he said, watching her closely.

"I met them a few months ago, when I decided to sneak out for the first time since I was a child. The three of them all work together at a small inn I had yet to hear of at the time," she began. "Nemi does the cooking and washing, Aphei cleans the tables and serves the orders, while Nakoh cleans the rooms and takes care of guests at the counter. They take their jobs seriously, though they try to help with each other's duties when they can."

She smiled slightly as she relived the memories. "I happened to pass by the inn that day, and I decided to eat there. That was when I first met Aphei, who quickly found out who I was, and after that we became friends. I kept going back to visit with her and see how she was doing, and almost every time she would get angry and tell me that no matter what she said, Nemi and Nakoh didn't believe that she had met Hyrule's Princess," Zelda giggled.

Volga looked at her. Though his face didn't show it, he thought that the way she told the story with such fondness was endearing, and he listened intently as she continued.

"Finally, Aphei went and got both of them before I could tell her not to, so I told them who I was. After that, I'd be sure to speak with them and make sure they were doing well before I left. We've been friends ever since," she finished happily, as they finally reached the road and began making their way back to Castle Town.

"I see. So, why did you take the basket?" he questioned further.

"Their jobs don't have the best pay, so sometimes I bring them a basket just to make sure they have some food to last them a little while," she answered casually.

"That's very kind of you," he replied. "Most people would leave them to their fate," he added quietly, with a hint of bitterness.

The town gate was in sight when Zelda stopped walking, causing Volga to stop as well. Her hood blocked her eyes from view, but her lips were set into a thin line as she looked down.

"Something wrong?" Volga asked, turning to face her with a subtle frown.

She looked up then, and their eyes locked. He found himself frozen in place by the sorrow in her sapphire orbs.

"You've met a lot of cruel people, haven't you..." she stated more than asked, her gaze boring into him.

His face became neutral once more, despite the flickering rage that burned in his gut. "I... can't say that I've ever liked humans. They've never held Dragons in high regard," he said, unable to prevent the disgust from creeping into his tone.

It was Zelda's turn to frown a little. "Surely you have not been treated so poorly while staying here?" she asked, looking concerned.

"No. I will not deny the kindness I have been shown," he conceded, relaxing slightly. "But even their generosity only goes so far."

Zelda shook her head. "I've known most of the people that work in my castle my whole life. They are some of the most selfless people I have ever known," she said firmly.

"Do you really think they'll be so good natured if they ever see the reason why they call me a 'Dragon Knight'?" he asked.

"I... I don't know..." she answered softly, her gaze downcast.

Volga sighed. " Humans... have only brought suffering to my kind. I do not wish to be involved with them any more than I already am," he told her.

His voice was calm, but held a certain finality to it that prevented her from responding. Then Zelda looked up with a sigh.

"We should go," she said, walking past him without so much as a single glance.

He frowned, but decided not to comment any further. Instead, he quietly followed her down the road that would take them home.

 

* * *

 

It didn't take them long to reach the castle after that, and they were able to get inside without any trouble, which both of them were thankful for. Volga was just about to bid her goodnight when she spoke.

"I know it might be hard, but... give these people a chance, Volga. Not everyone fears Dragons. I rather like them," she said with a tired smile.

Volga looked at her then, eyes widened a fraction. Hearing her say that made him... happy. He could tell she really believed that the people there would accept him. He wished that he could fully believe it, too.

"Well, goodnight, Volga," she said, walking away before he could reply.

"Goodnight, your Majesty," he said with a slight bow, watching as she left the room. Once she was out of sight, he turned around with a sigh.

As he was making his way back to his room, he couldn't help but think about her words. Could the people here really accept him?

**_'Impossible. Dragons were never meant to befriend humans...'_** one part of him said.

_'But you're not just a Dragon... you're human too...'_ the other countered.

_**'Having a human form doesn't mean they will accept you!'**_

_'Having a Dragon form doesn't mean they won't.'_

Volga growled in frustration. Why had he been born a half-breed? What had he done to deserve it? While he was proud to be of Dragon blood, the other side of him, the human side, loathed it at times. His human side naturally wanted the company of other people, something the Dragon side made incredibly difficult, if not downright impossible.

But, he had found that odd sense of companionship here, hadn't he?

So maybe it was possible. Maybe people could accept both sides of him. It seemed that the Princess had.

_**'Just wait... when she sees the full extent of your Dragon blood, she will give in to the fear... they always do,"**_ said the Dragon side.

He growled once more as he entered his room and changed back into his night clothes, placing his spear by the door. The thought of the Princess being afraid of him... bothered him. He padded over to the bed and fell onto it, frowning at nothing in particular. She had been nothing but kind to him since he had arrived, even if she did throw her weight around somewhat. He just hoped that she wouldn't run away if she ever saw the Dragon.

Volga rolled over, deciding not to think about it anymore for the night. He closed his eyes and felt sleep overcoming him.

_'…. Give them a chance...'_

 


	4. Chapter 3

The sun was slowly rising into the sky as spear and sword clashed in a bind, bringing him face to face with his opponent. Red eyes bored into his own, and he glared back just as fiercely. She was stronger than she looked, as she threw her weight behind her giant blade and tried to knock him off balance as he used his own strength to counter it. They stayed like that for a few moments, before pushing off of each other, jumping back in the hopes of finding a better position. Impa watched him as carefully as he watched her, calm and calculating as she reassessed him, while he waited patiently for an opportunity to strike.

“I have to admit, you're a tough opponent,” Impa commented, a smirk making its way onto her face.

Volga raised a brow. “Don't tell me you're having trouble keeping up?” he asked, a smirk of his own forming.

Impa huffed. “Not at all.”

“I hate to interrupt, but shouldn't you get this show on the road? The soldiers will be here in a few minutes, and we've got to get them up to speed before the Princess's ball, right?” said Link, who stood off to the side watching them spar.

“You're right. We should probably quit for now,” Impa replied, relaxing and sheathing her weapon as she approached Link. “You can go now Volga. We'll continue in a few hours,” she said to him over her shoulder.

Volga approached them as he withdrew his own weapon. “Is there a particular reason why they have to be battle ready by then?” he asked with a raised brow.

Impa turned to him. “Three days after the ball, we'll be heading out to take the fight to this new adversary of ours, as we've received new information. The ball is in two weeks, so we have to make the best of the time we've got,” she answered him with a sigh.

“Exactly. Then the only thing left to do will be to earn the support of the Goron and Zora tribes, along with our neighboring kingdoms. Well, that, and a lot of packing...” Link added. “Either way, I hope those dancing lessons have been going well for you, Volga,” the young man said as he scratched the back of his head with a grin.

“As do I,” Volga replied with a heavy sigh, crossing his arms.

“What do you mean? You don't know if you're any good?” Link asked with a confused look.

“Yeta never tells any of her students how they're progressing directly. She finds it more entertaining to give them a cryptic message, and leave them wondering. I assume you've received a few of them?” Impa interjected, looking curious.

“Indeed,” he answered, nodding.

Impa nodded back. “I'd help you, but I'm afraid I'm no better at understanding them than you are, so until she says you've had enough lessons, just hope for the best,” she replied.

Volga just sighed once more. It appeared he was on his own with that one.

“Well then, if there is nothing else, I'll be taking my leave for now,” he said, beginning to turn away.

“That's fine, just be back in a couple of hours,” Impa told him as she and Link began to leave as well.

He nodded, walking away from the small sparring area and heading in the direction of the gardens. The sun was steadily climbing higher, turning the sky a light shade of blue as a morning fog hovered in the air. He listened to the sounds of the world slowly waking from its slumber, the calling birds and the distant noise of the castle staff going about their daily routines, and let his mind wander. He hadn't felt Cia's presence since she had first restrained him; but he knew it was merely dormant, and would rise whenever he didn't act according to plan.

His expression became a scowl as he thought of it, for he loathed the idea of anyone having power over him. What made it even worse was that he had little to no knowledge of what she could do. A deep growl rumbled in his chest as the entrance to the gardens came into view in the form of a tall archway. He began to wonder what he should do to rid himself of his current dilemma.

_'Perhaps there's some way to break it?'_ he thought, glancing at his feet. _'But even so, I have no way of knowing what it is...'_

Well, that was a rather depressing thought.

The Dragon Knight released a weary sigh as he walked through the archway. “Maybe I should take a look in their library and see what they have on spell breaking. I might find something of use there,” he mused to himself with a thoughtful look.

He glanced around at the various plant life with mild interest. Yet again, he found that what normally would have been luxurious was left to simplicity. Flowers were everywhere, and closer to the castle wall was a small statue that wasn't made of marble or trimmed with gold or silver, but rather an ordinary stone depicting a strange bird of incredible size, being ridden by a man. Curious, Volga decided he would search for a book about this as well when he went to the library.

If he could find it, that is.

Turning away, he was about to continue exploring when his heightened hearing picked up a faint voice.

“Haaaah... Hya!”

He tilted his head slightly, staring in the direction it had come from. Not entirely sure why, he decided to follow it. He passed through a few areas, the voice steadily growing louder, until he stepped into a small clearing.

And there she was.

He blinked in surprise, berating himself in the back of his mind for not recognizing the voice, when he saw Princess Zelda training with a rapier. He unknowingly watched her with a critical eye, making note of her stance and how well she performed with the blade as she battled an invisible opponent. Stab, parry, dodge. She was light on her feet and fluid in her movements, striking with excellent precision. When she stopped, she held up her rapier in front of her, and he watched as it glowed brightly, then vanished into thin air.

Interesting...

Deciding to make his presence known, Volga stepped forward and cleared his throat, watching as she turned to him with wide eyes. Volga frowned imperceptibly.

He had caught her off guard.

“Oh, good morning, Volga,” she greeted with a smile.

“Good morning, your Majesty,” he returned with a slight bow.

“I apologize, I didn't hear you,” she said sheepishly, looking at her feet.

Volga allowed his frown to show that time. “There's nothing to apologize for. However, please pardon me for saying that it is rather careless to be inattentive to your surroundings,” he admonished.

Zelda's lips pursed. “I am aware of that,” she replied, frowning as well. “But don't think it will happen again!”

_'Childish...'_ he thought, amused by her reaction. “Of course not, your Majesty,” he said.

Zelda's expression relaxed as she looked at him, her head tilted in curiosity. “So... what brings you here so early? Shouldn't you be training?” she asked.

“Captain Impa and Link are needed elsewhere until this evening,” he replied blankly.

“Oh. I see,” she said as she looked at her feet. Then she glanced up. “Then, what do you plan to do now?” she questioned further.

Volga raised a brow at this, but answered nonetheless. “I was thinking of heading to the library, but I'm afraid I do not know the way,”

“Well, I could show you if you like,” she offered simply.

Volga thought for a moment, then nodded. “That would be appreciated,” he replied.

Zelda smiled radiantly. “Alright then, follow me,” she told him.

He stood aside and gestured for her to lead the way, somewhat surprised at how happy she was to help him. Once she had passed him, he fell into step beside her as she led him back inside the castle. For the first few minutes they were silent as they walked through the castle halls, neither one feeling a need for conversation. However, it wasn't long before he noticed that the young woman was sneaking glances at him, curiosity burning in her eyes. Oddly amused by this, Volga felt a tiny smirk forming as he looked at her.

“Speak your mind, Princess, or you'll never know the answer to whatever question you have,” he said, failing to hide his amusement.

Zelda looked at him, frowning at being caught, but her expression quickly returned to curiosity. “If I may ask, what is it that you wish to find in the library? I don't mean to be rude, but you don't seem like one who is fond of reading,” she said watching him carefully.

He gave her a flat look. “Just because I was raised in a cave doesn't mean I don't find enjoyment in a good book. I am not fond of people, but there are some things that are much easier found in a library.” She opened her mouth to speak, but he continued. “However, to answer your question, I was hoping to find something about that statue in your garden,” he finished.

“Ah! You mean the Loftwing,” she said with a nod.

“Is that what it's called?” he asked, now growing curious.

“Yes. It's been awhile since I researched them, but I do recall that they were said to be the only means of transportation before people began living on the surface,” she replied, looking thoughtful.

“Surface? Surely you're not implying that people lived in the sky,” he said doubtfully, eyeing her with suspicion.

Her own eyes sparkled with mirth and excitement. “Indeed. I know how it sounds, but it's true. If you don't believe me, I'd be more than happy to find the history book about it,” she said merrily, as they began to enter a part of the castle he was unfamiliar with.

“Please do. Until I've seen it, I'm going to assume you're jesting,” he told her, now smirking fully. There was no way it was true, but it would be entertaining to watch her try and convince him of it.

He looked at her to find that she was smirking back, and he almost failed in hiding his surprise. “I accept your challenge,” she replied simply, seeming very confident.

And now he knew she had a sense of humor, too.

They were quiet after that, until they came to a set of wooden doors. Stopping, Zelda carefully pushed one open and walked inside, with Volga behind her. And what he saw was rather impressive.

The room was huge, with row after row of bookshelves filled to the brim, and a few tables. There was even a stairway that led to a second floor, which he discovered was also full of books, with the shelves stretching to the ceiling. He had to admit, at least to himself, that it was quite a sight. He watched as Zelda began to ascend the stairs, and quickly followed after her. They climbed to the second floor, and it was then that he saw the full extent of the room.

He stared, slightly in awe of it's size. “How many are there?” he asked incredulously.

The Princess giggled, a sound that was pleasing to his ears, though he couldn't fathom why. “I'm afraid even I don't know the answer to that. These books have been in the Royal Family throughout the eras, found or bought from all over the world, some even written by the family. You can find History, Language, Magic, Maps, and some books on foreign countries and neighboring kingdoms. Or, if you'd rather read more for entertainment, there are plenty of fairy tales, folk tales and legends lying about. I haven't even read half of the books in here, even though I've read many,” her eyes spoke volumes of her eagerness to find every possible discovery in the room, their blue depths shining with the thirst for knowledge he had predicted she would have.

“Something tells me this is your favorite room,” he said, bemused by her excitement.

“I suppose I've made it obvious,” she said sheepishly. “But yes. I prefer this room to any other,” she smiled. “Now then, let's go find that book, shall we?” she asked, turning to the right and walking down one of the aisles.

“Yes. I'm curious to see how you plan to prove your sky world's existence,” he replied with a smug tone as he followed her, moving slowly as he looked around at the various book titles. He had lost sight of her, but he could hear her movements clearly.

“Think twice before you mock me, Sir, for you shall soon see the truth... Aha!” she exclaimed, her voice coming from the opposite side of the shelf he was at. Making his way to the end, he rounded the corner into the next aisle to find the Princess standing on the tips of her toes, reaching for a large book on the third shelf. There was only one problem...

She was too short.

He watched as she tried again and again to obtain the book, her face serious as she completely concentrated on her task, only to fall back onto her feet with an irritated huff. He crossed his arms with a smirk, leaning against the shelf.

“Taking your time, Princess? I'm not getting any younger, you know,” he teased, making his enjoyment of her current predicament known.

Zelda's face became slightly annoyed. “You and I both know that age is of little importance to a dragon,” she retorted as she fell back to her feet.

“That may be true, but as long as you're taking, I'm afraid I'll drop dead at any second,” he fired back, smirking in victory when she became outright aggravated.

“Please pardon me, but I must kindly ask you to be quiet!...” she hissed at him with a tight smile.

Volga stood up and made his way over to her, smirking all the while.

 

* * *

 

_'Are all Dragon Men this irritating?'_ Zelda wondered, trying to refrain from rolling her eyes at the man's teasing. _'Hmph. We'll see how long that smugness lasts when I get this book!'_ she thought, determined to accomplish her goal. She tried once more to get the book, her fingertips just barely brushing its spine. Completely absorbed in her task, she failed to notice his approach until after an armored hand reached above her own and plucked the book off the shelf without any effort. Surprised, her feet planted themselves back on the ground as she stared up at him. Sure, she had known he was tall, but being as close as she was to him really put emphasis on just how short she was compared to him, which awed and annoyed her at the same time. Of course, she was mostly annoyed that his height had allowed him to get the book without so much as a blink.

She watched as his emerald, reptilian eyes scanned over the title of the book, then froze on the spot when they suddenly shot to her. That smirk she was growing used to seeing was in place again as he stared down at her in amusement, and she was quick to give him a light glare.

“Not a word,” she said sternly, her eyes narrowed.

"Of course not, your Majesty," was his smug reply as he held the book out to her.

Zelda huffed, gently grabbed the book, then turned and walked to the nearest table, listening to his footsteps as they followed her. Pulling out one of the chairs, she motioned for him to do the same and sat down, opening the book and flipping through its pages. She paid little attention when he sat beside her, already focused on her task. She leafed backwards through the Twilight and Hero of Time eras before finally landing on the right page, smiling brightly.

"There. This was written by the first king of Hyrule a year before he passed. He lived in the sky when the surface was discovered to be more than a myth, and asked all the others who had lived there to help document Skyloft's history," she told him, pointing to a page titled 'Sky Era'.

She slid the book towards him, and smiled when he yet again looked at her doubtfully, then began reading. She waited patiently as he read through it, his expression lightening as he became absorbed in the book's contents.

Zelda saw different emotions flicker across his face, the most prominent being intrigue. Smiling to herself, she stood and began looking through the titles in a section of fairy tale books. Running a slim finger over the spines as she looked, she finally stopped on an old classic. Grabbing it, she returned to the table and sat back down, noting that Volga hadn't seemed to notice anything. Resting her arms on the table, she began reading, quickly becoming entranced by the story.

After an hour or so had passed, she heard him closing the book, and looked up when he turned to her.

"Well?" she asked, raising a delicate brow.

He was silent for a moment, before reluctantly saying, "I stand corrected."

Zelda grinned. "I didn't believe it at first, either. Then Father showed me the book, and told me that Loftwings had gone extinct long before our time when I asked where I could get one," she laughed lightly, her gaze returning to the book in her hands.

He remained silent, but she could feel his eyes on her. After a few moments of him just staring at her, she finally glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

"What?" she asked.

He blinked, then glanced at the title of her book. "The Little Zora?" he questioned in return.

"Yes. It's a classic," she replied, beginning to read once more.

"About?" he inquired further.

"It's about a Zora princess who wants to live with humans," she answered.

"Why on earth would a Zora want that?" Volga asked with a scowl.

"She rescued a Prince whose ship sunk in a violent storm. She fell in love with him and wanted to be with him, so she went to the sea witch and asked to be turned human. The witch agreed, however in exchange for this, she had to give up her voice," she said, her eyes still glued to the pages.

He frowned as he pondered this. "So you're telling me that she left everything she had ever known, and even lost her voice, so she could be with some Prince?" he asked.

She nodded.

The Dragon Knight huffed. "How foolish. And who said he even returned her affections? A waste of time and energy if you ask me," he said.

Slightly frowning, she glanced at him. "You don't believe in love then?" she asked.

"I believe it exists. However, I have not the time nor the desire to find it," he answered simply.

Zelda said nothing at first, but when she did start to respond, the doors to the library opened.

"Hello? Your Highness?" Mira's voice called.

A confused look came over her face. _'I don't believe I had any prior engagements... What could it be?'_ she wondered, closing the book. "Up here, Mira!" she called back, hearing frenzied footsteps rushing up the stairs afterwards.

Once Mira reached them, she was lightly panting as Zelda and Volga turned to look at her.

"Are you alright?" the Princess asked in concern.

"I.... I'm fine.... your Highness..." Mira gasped out as she tried to catch her breath.

"Is something wrong?" Volga questioned then.

"I assure you.... all is well.... But you should hurry back to the training yard, Sir.... They have finished with the other soldiers... and right after that is today's lesson with Yeta," she answered him, able to speak a little easier.

Nodding, Volga stood and turned to Zelda. "Thank you for your help, your Majesty," he said with a polite bow.

"You're quite welcome," she nodded in return.

He had barely taken a few steps when she spoke again.

"Oh, and Volga?" she asked, waiting until he had turned to look at her before continuing. "Those who do not seek it, are usually the first to be found by it," she stated in a serious tone.

She watched him blink a few times before he remembered their previously interrupted conversation. A look that said 'we'll see about that' crossed his face.

"Very well. Good day, your Majesty,"

"Good day," she replied as he turned and walked downstairs.

It was silent for few moments, until they heard the library doors being opened, and after they closed, Mira turned to look at the Princess with uncertainty.

"Pardon me for saying so, your Highness, but I do not think it wise to be alone with him. He seems like a gentleman, but we have not known him for very long," she said carefully.

Zelda sighed, but offered her a smile nonetheless. "I appreciate your concern, Mira. I do not think he is a bad person, but if it will put you at ease, I will keep your words in mind and try to be more careful," she told her. The girl did have a point, after all.

Mira smiled, looking visibly relieved. "Thank you, Milady," she replied.

The young woman nodded. "Now, was there something else you needed?" she asked, her head tilted.

Mira's face turned grave as she remembered the other reason she had come. "Yes, M-Milady, b-but I'm afraid you won't like it..." she said sadly.

"Oh dear, what is it...?" Zelda asked wearily, not sure she wanted to know after seeing the girl's reaction.

Mira sighed. "Most of the invitations have b-been sent, but we were thinking that, as much as all of us would rather not... we should invite King Ezu and his... family... to stay with us once the night of the ball draws closer, as we do every year," she finished bitterly.

The Princess let out an audible groan, placing a hand over her face. "Oh, goddesses... I almost forgot about them... I would rather not as well, but if we don't, King Ezu would be disappointed, and it would be considered an act of war by the Prince. And the last thing we need right now is another kingdom seeking our destruction..." she sighed.

"Well, if we're going t-to send it, I think we should make some kind of plan, since that brat of his will probably try to woo you, as he does every year in that rude, arrogant way of his," Mira scowled at the thought.

"Mind your words, dear..." Zelda smiled, then sighed. "But I agree. I haven't forgotten his last.... display..." she added with a shudder.

"My apologies, Milady. And after he did that, no one blames you for it. I think we can all agree that it was certainly one of those things that is not easily forgotten," Mira replied as she winced at the memory.

"Indeed. It makes me to dread to think of what he might do this year," the Princess said worriedly, before nodding. "Yes. I think an escape plan is in order, as cowardly as it is to run away."

"I prefer to think of it as a tactical retreat, Milady," Mira told her with an understanding smile.

Zelda smiled back. "Thank you, Mira. I will write the invitation for King Ezu and his family. I do still enjoy his company, even if it means being in the presence of Prince Loka," she said. "Now that that's settled, is there anything else to attend to?" she asked, looking to the girl.

"Only the p-plan," Mira answered.

"Very well then,” Zelda said, frowning as she considered her options. “I suppose I could pretend to be ill, and stay in my room... But, as the hostess, I wouldn't like to be absent from my own ball," she mumbled.

"Maybe you could wear a disguise of some sort?" Mira suggested with a raised brow.

"True, but it would still seem as if I were leaving them unattended," Zelda replied with a sigh. "Maybe I should just have someone else host it, and stay on the sidelines myself,"

"B-but you won't be able to d-dance. You love to dance..." the young maid looked at her sadly.

They sat in silence for a moment, before Mira's face brightened.

"M-Milady... didn't your f-father remain at your side for most of the parties he hosted?" Mira asked slowly.

Zelda's heart twinged at the memories, but she kept a calm countenance. "Yes... Why?" she inquired, not sure where the girl was going with this.

"Well, I was just thinking. P-perhaps, if you had an escort of s-some kind for the duration of the event, the Prince might be more hesitant in approaching you," Mira suggested.

The Princess's eyes lit up at the thought. "You just might be right. If I were to have someone remain at my side, Prince Loka would have to choose his words more carefully! But, who would it be? Though Impa should certainly be able to handle it while they stay with us, as soon as the ball begins the Prince will only see it as a means to woo two women instead of one, as he is not frightened by her. Rather, to him, her rough nature only adds to her charms... Such a crude man..." she huffed, scowling.

"Indeed..." Mira sighed, then suddenly gasped. "Forgive me, Milady, but I must return to my duties. If I can find someone capable enough to be your escort to the ball, I shall inform you immediately. Please excuse me," she said with a bow.

"Of course, I apologize for keeping you so long. When you're finished, feel free to take a rest" Zelda told her with a smile.

"No ap-pology needed, Milady, and th-thank you. G-good day," the girl stuttered before turning and leaving.

'Well, she made it through most of the conversation without a problem. She's been practicing very hard,' Zelda smiled to herself. Mira had made it her mission to get her stuttering under control, and she had been doing well. The Princess was proud of her.

She then stood, and picked up the book she had been reading, beginning to walk away from the table. She was getting hungry, so she decided to head for the kitchen and see what Yeto had. Afterwards, she could return to her room and pick up from where she had left off in the story, and hopefully there wouldn't be any further interruptions.

_'Maybe Yeto knows someone who could do the job,'_ she thought as she made her way downstairs and left the room.

She entered the hall and began the walk back to the other side of the castle, which took a few minutes to reach. All was still as she passed, from the empty hallways to the courtyard outside, and the Princess sighed forlornly as the silence stretched on around her. Normally when she walked through those halls, her father was at her side, and on one or two occasions it had been her mother, but Zelda only vaguely recalled those moments, as she was very young at the time. Shaking her head as she reached the kitchen, she put on a smile as she entered.

The Chef turned to see who had come upon hearing her footsteps, and brightened immensely when he saw her. "Oooooooh! Hello Princess! How are you, eh?"

"I am well, thank you. How about yourself?" she asked in return.

"Yeto is good too," he answered. "Did you need something?"

"I just came to see what was cooking," she replied.

"Mhm! You'll have to wait and see!" he told her, grinning widely.

"So you're not going to tell me?" she inquired.

"Nope!" was the reply.

Zelda smiled and nodded. "Alright then, I look forward to it," she said, before she remembered the other reason she had come. "Actually, Yeto, I have a question for you."

Yeto turned to her with a raised brow. "Oh?" he asked as he tilted his head.

"Yes. You see, possibly against my better judgment, I have decided to invite King Ezu and his family to the upcoming ball," she began. "So, in light of what took place last time, Mira suggested that I should find an escort for the event," she told him.

Yeto's eyes blazed, and he snorted. "Yeto can escort you! Yeto will make sure Prince leaves you alone!" he said with a determined look.

The Princess smiled brightly at him, but shook her head. "Thank you, Yeto, but that wouldn't be fair to Yeta. You two have been looking forward to it all year," she reminded him.

He sighed and crossed his arms in thought. "Still, Yeto agrees that you should have someone with you at all times. Impa would be good choice, but that would just encourage Prince more," he said.

"Exactly," Zelda nodded. "And that is why I was wondering if you could think of anyone else who might be better suited for the job?" she asked.

Yeto looked thoughtful for a moment before looking at her seriously. "You could always ask Link?" he suggested.

"I could, but Link can be a bit hot-headed at times. If Prince Loka were to upset him, Link would make it a point to get even," she replied.

"Hm, true. Maybe you should ask one of your guards?” he tried again.

"But they too will have to obey Prince Loka's commands to a point. I need someone who can keep him at bay while being respectful," Zelda told him, frowning as she tried to think.

Yeto seemed to ponder this, rubbing his beard as he began to list off potential candidates. Then he snapped his fingers. "What about Dragon Knight? He seems like good choice, eh?" he asked.

"Volga?" she asked in return. When the chef nodded, a thoughtful look crossed her face. "Well, he's definitely polite, and I have no doubt that he could scare the Prince off with ease," she couldn't help but laugh at the thought. "However, we haven't known him long enough to determine where his true loyalties lie. But if we are sure that he can be trusted by the time of the ball, then I will certainly be willing to ask him," she said, nodding in resolution.

Yeto grinned at her, then turned back to whatever meal he was preparing. "Good, good. It is important to give the benefit of the doubt," he said as he added some ingredients.

"But you can't be too careful when you do," she replied.

"Of course," he agreed with a nod. "After all, some people are wolfs in sheep's clothing," he added.

"Indeed. But even so, thank you for helping me," Zelda smiled at the chef. "Mind if I take an apple with me, to tide me over until supper?" she asked, picking up one of the bright red fruits from a sack on the floor.

"They're your apples, Princess!" Yeto laughed. "Take as many as you like!"

"Thank you," she replied with a grin, giving him a small wave as she left the kitchen. Holding her book to her chest with one arm and carrying the apple with the opposite hand, she made her way back to her room as she hummed an old tune.

'I hope nothing else comes up for awhile. I'd like to just sit and read for a few more hours,' she thought as she walked. She had been a little overwhelmed lately, what with the attack and all, so the opportunities for a rest were few and far in between. She knew her father had always handled it well, but she wondered if it was because her mother had helped him. The Princess did not have any clear memories of her mother, save for a few blurry ones. All she knew was that one day, her father had been frantic, and left heartbroken after a few weeks.

Zelda sighed as she finally reached her room and opened the doors. She remembered that she had once asked him where her mother had gone, when she found him staring out of a window as he was lost in his thoughts. He had turned to her in mild surprise, but that surprise became realization. Then he rushed over to her and swept her up into his arms as he began sobbing. It wasn't until later on that she realized he had been weeping for both of them, since she did not yet understand what her mother's disappearance meant. He had always done his best to fill both parental roles after that.

_'Enough,'_ she thought. Stepping into her room, she set down the items she had been carrying onto a small table next to a chair, then walked over to the balcony doors and opened them, allowing the morning air to fill her lungs as she took a deep breath. Then, she went and picked up the book as she sat in the chair, leaning back and pulling up her legs.

She opened the book and found where she had left off, and sighed in contentment as she was allowed some time to relax.

_'Well, I guess we'll see how long it lasts,'_ she smiled, thinking of how hectic it could get within the castle's walls. But maybe today would be her lucky day.

However, she wasn't going to get her hopes too high.

 

* * *

 

A few hours later, Volga sighed in relief after finishing his lesson with Yeta. He couldn't say for sure, as the woman never told him directly, but he thought he was improving. Or at least, he hoped so. But he wasn't going to let the higher ups of human society mock him if he hadn't, and if the Princess was to be believed, many would be watching him with a curious eye. He wasn't sure he would be well received by the nobles, nor would he be eager to receive them, but since it would end very badly if he offended any of them, he would to be on his best behavior.

_'I hope at least some of them are tolerable. Since human nobles aren't known for their decent personalities, I might be_ hard pressed _to hold my tongue for very long,'_ he thought as he made his way down the corridor, his footsteps echoing softly around him as he was heading for the kitchen. He couldn't help wondering if the ball would go smoothly in the slightest, since he would be present. On the one hand, he had no doubt that many would have questions for him; while on the other, people might not be keen on having one such as himself there at all, especially since he didn't handle the majorly overbearing kind of people well. Should anyone try to get in his face, royal or not, he would have no problem giving them a piece of his mind. Which probably wouldn't go over well at all with the Princess, or anyone else for that matter, except maybe the commoners...

He hummed in thought. He really would have to be careful and choose his words wisely among the nobles, which made him dread the day more than he had before. But perhaps, if he made an effort to make a decent impression, he would be able to enjoy the event without too much hassle. But since he wasn't fond of humans, and therefore their social customs, he doubted that he would find any enjoyment at all.

“So, how is Princess really doing? Yeto knows she has not been as well as she pretends.”

Volga stopped abruptly when he heard the chef's voice, halting a few feet before he reached the entrance. He knew it was rude to do so, but he found that he couldn't help but listen in when the young ruler had been mentioned.

A sigh was heard. “About as good as can be expected,” came Impa's voice. “It's irritating to watch. The Advisers have been so relentless about all of the unresolved issues that she's too busy taking care of his work to even mourn the man himself,” she finished scathingly.

“How cruel! Can't they give her at least a few days' rest and allow her some time to recover?” Mira pitched in. So she was there as well...

Impa scoffed. “Please. Their only concerns are their monthly salaries,” she replied with a sneer.

“Then why doesn't she just demand to be left alone? Surely they would leave her be if she did so?” Mira tried again. He was a little surprised at the lack of stuttering.

“That's not the kind of person she is. She will try to ensure that everyone else is cared for before she allows herself to take more than a few hours to tend to her own problems,” Impa said, sighing once more.

“She is like her mother,” Yeto said fondly. “If only Queen had been-” he stopped, and silence fell.

“It's alright to speak of it. The only reason the King never spoke of her was because her Highness was usually with him, and he didn't want her to know...” Impa said softly.

This slightly confused Volga. Why would the King forbid the staff from mentioning the Queen, especially around the Princess? What had happened to her in the first place? The questions went on, and he inched closer to better hear any answers they might give.

“Yeto does not understand why she didn't return. If the Queen had been found, it would have been easier for all of us, especially King and Princess. Why did she leave in first place?” he said, more to himself than anyone else.

“What do you mean leave? Are you saying that the Queen ran away?” Mira asked incredulously.

Silence fell once more, and the Dragon Knight listened intently.

“That was the main assumption,” Impa replied slowly.

“So, what happened?” Mira inquired further.

“We don't really know for sure. One morning, I was making my rounds around the castle after I had woken the King. The Queen was usually up before anyone else, so we weren't surprised to find her side of the bed empty. But after I began searching for her, I couldn't find her anywhere on the castle grounds, so I informed his Majesty,” the Captain continued.

“King had all of us looking when he heard. He sent out guards to search the town and surrounding areas while servants continued looking in castle,” Yeto added.

“Right. But when we still couldn't find her, I began to consider the possibility that she had been taken against her will. I returned to the King's room and investigated, but I never found anything unusual, so we kept looking, even as the search took us farther away from the castle as time went on. But eventually we were forced to give up the search, as the King was falling very far behind in his duties, both to his kingdom and his daughter. After that, he didn't know what to do. He wanted the Princess to know of her, but at the same time, he didn't want her to grow up believing that the Queen had abandoned them, even though he himself didn't. And so he forbade everyone from speaking of her in any way,” Impa finished, a saddened tone in her voice.

“That must have b-been so awful... Do you really think she ran away...? That she just.... left them? Her husband, and only ch-child?” the young maid asked, pleading to be told it wasn't true.

Impa shook her head. “No, I don't. But I found no evidence to suggest otherwise. Either she left of her own accord, or her kidnapper was incredibly skilled at covering their tracks.”

“C-couldn't you check their room again? Surely s-something was left behind,” Mira suggested.

“Mira, it has been years since Queen went missing. The room has been cleaned way too many times by now,” Yeto sighed.

“You're right... It just feels so wrong for them to g-give up on the Q-Queen like that, and for her Highness to know nothing of her...” the girl trailed off.

“It is sad, yes,” the chef replied in understanding.

Volga inched closer to the doorway, taking small, quiet steps. Once he reached it, he peered inside to see Mira sitting at a table in the corner, while Yeto was standing by the stove and Impa was leaning against the wall. He was a little curious as to how he had managed to go unnoticed so far, especially with the Captain in the room, but he doubted that it was because she had no knowledge of his presence. He watched as they all drifted through their thoughts, until Mira looked up at Impa.

“W-well.... I know it isn't m-my place to say, but... doesn't she d-deserve to know?” the maid asked quietly.

Turning his gaze to Impa as well, he watched as an indecisive look crossed her normally stern face.

“While I see your reasoning, I am uncertain as to whether or not it would be wise to do so. Her Highness has a lot on her plate as things are now. Telling her the truth about her mother will only add to that,” Impa answered.

“True, but Yeto thinks Mira is right. Why not tell Princess after things have calmed down?” the chef asked, looking at Impa over his shoulder.

The white-haired woman seemed to ponder this for a moment, before nodding to the other two. “That will be the best way to handle it.”

He looked back to the other two, to see that both of them were smiling happily, content with Impa's decision. He found it interesting that they were so eager to do right by their Princess, which was unusual to hear of, but at the same time it wasn't all that surprising. From what he had seen, the young woman treated them well, and he had yet to see her grow irritated with any of them, so he felt that their loyalty was well placed. His attention snapped back to them when he saw Mira stand, and he silently backed away from the door, making sure that there was enough distance to prevent too much suspicion.

“Well then, I suppose I should return to my studies,” he heard Mira say.

“That is good idea. You know how my wife is!” Yeto laughed loudly.

Mira laughed too as she left with a wave, then looked in his direction. She gave him a smile and polite nod, which he returned, then turned around and walked away. Just as he was about to make his way back to the kitchen, Impa stepped into the hallway and immediately turned to him. She approached him with an unreadable expression, and Volga was quick to greet her.

He nodded to her, keeping his face blank.

“Is it common for Dragons to eavesdrop on private conversations?” she asked without hesitation.

There it was.

Volga crossed his arms. “It can be difficult for someone with hearing such as mine to drown out the constant chatter you humans provide on a daily basis,” he replied nonchalantly.

Her eyes narrowed. “And I suppose the 'constant chatter' also disables the use of your legs?” she countered, crossing her own arms as well.

“Dragons are naturally alerted to any nearby sound. I cannot help it if my instincts kick in.”

“Then I assume you cannot help it if your human instincts come into play as well, since you seem to have trouble keeping your curiosity in check.”

Volga huffed. “I had no influence in your decision to continue the conversation, so if my hearing it displeases you so much, I strongly recommend that you find somewhere else to discuss your more secretive matters. Perhaps a place where such talk is less likely to attract unwanted attention?” he said with a raised brow and arrogant smirk as he began walking past her.

He could feel her gaze following him, boring into his back. Stopping a few feet away, he turned and glanced at her over his shoulder. “If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you're losing your edge, Captain,” he remarked. When she didn't respond, he simply nodded. “Until later then.”

He turned away then, not waiting to see if she would reply as he walked into the kitchen; and in doing so, he was completely oblivious to the lingering spark of victory in the Captain's eyes as she watched him leave.

 

* * *

 

Zelda closed the book as the sun was beginning to set, a contented sigh escaping her lips. The story was always a delight for her, even though she had read it many times, and it helped to lift her spirits. Standing, she stretched lightly and then walked over to the balcony, admiring the sunset for a moment before she closed the doors and locked them. Glancing at the book that was still in her hands, she decided to go get another to read later, and she knew just the one. Remembering the King's invitation, she quickly went to a desk in the corner of the room and began writing.

Once she was finished, she sealed the letter and decided to take it with her so she could give it to the courier. She then left her room and began to make her way back to the library, feeling relaxed now that she had been able to rest for a little while. She walked leisurely, her thoughts drifting to the kind King Ezu, whom they invited to the castle every year when the Autumn Ball drew near. She had known the man since she was a little girl, as he had been close friends with her father, and she had come to see him as an uncle of sorts, the kind that didn't come too often and was adored by the whole family. Unfortunately for her, the man had a son, Prince Loka, who was only a couple of years older than herself, and of course it was the hope of both their fathers that she would be married to the boy once they were of age.

However, there were two problems with that.

The first was the fact that she hoped to marry the man she would fall in love with, and be loved by in return. The second was the Prince himself. She couldn't stand him, not for more than a few hours at a time, for he was incredibly conceited and thought very highly of himself. More often than not, he tried to woo her by telling stories of his own accomplishments, and each story was more exaggerated than the last. Almost every tale was about how he had saved some poor, defenseless girl from a horrid monster, and it didn't take long for her to notice that he had trouble naming or describing them beyond 'Fair maidens' and 'monstrous beasts'.

The hardest part was that she couldn't exactly tell King Ezu. Whenever his father was around, Prince Loka was a perfect gentleman; but once the King was out of earshot, the young man was almost unbearable. While she would love to throw accusations at him, it would be rude to do so, especially when his father had such high hopes in their relationship. She would hate to deny King Ezu's wishes, but she felt that a marriage between her and the Prince would be an unhappy one. There was also little chance that the man would ever change, as she recalled that even when they were children she had not been fond of him.

The Princess frowned as she walked into the library and made her way to the second floor, heading to the shelf she had gotten the book from. How in the world could she explain to the King that she did not wish marry his son without offending him? She did not want to seem rude, but she also didn't want the King to continue getting his hopes up, for she thought it was unfair to him.

When she reached the bookshelf, she took the letter, which she had been holding between the book and her thumb, into her other hand and returned the book to its original place. Once that was done, she began searching for the next tale she had in mind. Skimming through the titles as she passed, it didn't take long for her to find the one she had been looking for. She smiled and removed it from the shelf, glancing fondly at the title as she turned to head back downstairs. As she reached the library doors and opened them, she was a little surprised to find Impa standing there, lowering the hand she had raised to open the door.

“Hello Impa,” Zelda greeted with a smile.

Impa bowed in return. “Your Highness.”

“How is your task progressing?” the Princess asked as she stepped into the hallway.

“Very well, so far,” her bodyguard replied, stepping back so Zelda could get by.

“Have you reached a conclusion?” she inquired further as she began to walk down the hall.

Impa fell into step beside her. “It seems favorable, but I still feel that something is off. Therefore I have yet to determine the results.”

Zelda nodded. “I see. Then please continue your investigation. We will decide the next course of action once you are certain,” she told her.

“As you wish, your Highness,” was the reply. Then she noticed the envelope in the young woman's hands, and she grimaced. “Is that what I think it is...?”

“Indeed. This is King Ezu's yearly invitation, which by default extends to his family,” the Princess sighed.

“Dear goddesses... as if we didn't have enough to deal with already...”

She couldn't help but smile at that, since such comments weren't too common with Impa. “I know, but at least King Ezu's presence will be a welcome one.”

The Captain nodded in agreement. “Yes, that is true. However, my main concern is preventing a repeat of last year.”

It was Zelda's turn to grimace. “I agree. The only good news about that is the fact that Prince Loka is nowhere near as extreme when it's just the four of us here. It's when the event arrives that things get tricky, as you and I both know that he's more... bold, when there is an audience.”

“Which is why I'm not so sure this year will be as easy. With the Dragon Knight here, he'll probably start strutting around like a peacock, especially since he likes to make it known when he considers something, or someone, as his own,” Impa sighed.

“And in turn, all the women in the castle will suffer his womanizing, not just you and I,” the Princess sighed, then held a thoughtful look. “Well, Miss Yeta won't. I think Yeto's message finally got through last time.”

“Then she is very lucky. I've tried numerous times to stop his advances, but it only seems to encourage him...” the Captain frowned, irked by the thought.

“Indeed. He is difficult to handle,” Zelda agreed. “But let's not worry about it anymore. Even after the letter is sent, we'll still have plenty of time to prepare ourselves, so for now we should focus on the matters at hand,” she said with a smile.

Ipma smiled back. “Gladly. Why don't you go on ahead? I believe Yeto has finished cooking. I'll take the letter to the courier,” she said.

Zelda nodded and handed her the letter. ”Thank you.”

“Of course, your Highness,” she replied with a bow, then split off at the next crossway.

After watching her leave, the Princess continued down the hall. She was glad that Impa was making progress, as it would be best if they could have everything figured out before the ball.

_'Of course, things are still uncertain at this point... But if there's anyone who can figure this out, it's Impa. I just hope it won't take too long,'_ Zelda thought, glancing out the hall's windows as she passed. Birds and squirrels went about their daily routine as her gardeners tended the flowers and trees, the perfect picture of peace. She smiled in contentment as her gaze returned to the end of the hall, only for a worried frown to replace it as a sense of dread washed over her, the same feeling she had been getting for awhile now.

Her thoughts drifted back to the recent attack. No one knew where the monsters had come from, but it was obvious that they had been sent there. Monster hordes of that size didn't just show up out of the blue to start an attack. They had been too organized, too coordinated for it to be a random occurrence. Whoever had taken the time to amass an army of that size was fully intent on the destruction of Hyrule. The first attack was most likely a warning, a taste of what was to come.

However, she didn't want to cause a panic among her people, as it would do more harm than good. They would be so busy trying to evacuate everyone that they would be left vulnerable, and the people themselves would be frantic. She would have to find a way to get them out safely. At least, if she continued with the ball, she would be able to get a large portion of people out at once, which would make it easier to clear out the rest of the town.

Zelda sighed. She would have to ponder her options before the event got too close, otherwise it would be chaos if something went wrong. Deciding to wait until later to discuss the issue with Impa, the Princess glanced with mild interest as she passed priceless heirlooms and portraits of their ancestors. Most of them were Kings, with a couple of Queens here and there, and she wondered if they had ever shared her dreams of a less restricting life. It wasn't that she would rather be a normal person with a simple life, but rather that she wished the life of a royal wasn't so hectic. However, as the only child of the late King and Queen, all of Hyrule would turn to her for guidance whenever a threat arose, so it was her responsibility to lead it out of dangerous waters. If she denied this role, the council would appoint one of their own members as the new ruler and turn every issue into one of politics, and goddesses knew that such a thing would more than likely lead to Hyrule's demise if they picked one of the less well-meaning members.

_'I never understood why Father put up with those fools. Anyone could see their forked tongues from miles away,'_ she thought, then shook her head. _'An issue best saved for later. For now, I should be focusing on the ball preparations, since Impa has taken King Ezu's invitation.'_

With this new task in mind, she thought of what still needed to be tended to. They had purchased the decorations, along with the required amounts of food ingredients, the invitations had been sent, and the musicians had already begun practicing. She herself had a dress set aside, and she had paid Mr. Rossim to make outfits for Mira, Link, Yeto, Yeta and the rest of her staff, as well as her most recent guest. She had even sent three such outfits along with an invitation to Nemi and the children, after she had carefully questioned them about their preferred colors and styles so she could surprise them. They had all expressed their desire to attend a ball, and she was eager to visit with them without the need for so much secrecy. And while most people couldn't afford so much clothing, and it was a little on the expensive side even for her, it wasn't so costly as to burden her, especially if it meant her friends could enjoy the ball alongside her.

_'I hope everyone will enjoy it. It could very well be the last one we have for a long time,'_ she thought sadly as she was finally nearing the kitchen. She prayed that whatever threat they had come across could be dealt with quickly, as the last thing she wanted was hordes of monsters destroying her kingdom for who knows how long.

_'That's enough. You were supposed to desist with your worries for the time being,'_ she scolded herself, remembering that she had to stay positive.

With this in mind, she gave a small but firm nod to herself and held her head high. There was nothing the world could throw at her that she couldn't handle, for she was Princess Zelda, daughter of King Laikon, one of the most kind-hearted rulers that Hyrule had ever known. His teachings of their kingdom and the responsibilities of the Royal Family had been etched into her very bones. With this in mind, she smiled brightly as she was just about to reach the kitchen. _'Don't worry, Father,'_ she thought.

_'I will not fail you...'_


	5. Chapter 4

Volga leaned against a wall as he silently watched Yeto move around the kitchen, adding a few final ingredients to the pot (as soup seems to be one of his favorite meals) while Yeta, who had come in a few minutes after himself, brought out the bowls and spoons. After his discussion with Impa, the Dragon Knight had begun to rethink his strategy. Apparently this whole 'become her bodyguard' business was going to be harder than he had expected, but he wasn't quite sure if he should start changing tactics just yet. He let out a quiet, slightly frustrated growl, and frowned.

“Tired?” the chef's wife asked, glancing back at him briefly.

Volga's gaze flickered to her, before closing his eyes with a deep sigh, replying with “Very.”

“Why not turn in early then? You can eat some soup now,” Yeta said, turning to him with a raised brow.

“That would probably be for the best,” Volga agreed, admitting to himself that sleep sounded pretty good at the moment.

“Then it is settled,” she said, filling a bowl. “Eat, then retire for the night,” she said as she handed him the bowl and a spoon.

“Thank you,” Volga said as he took the offered items with a slight nod. Yeta gave him a smile, then turned back to her tasks. He went and sat down at a table in the corner of the room, watching them bustle about the kitchen with mild interest. As Yeto was wiping his hands with a rag, he turned to look at the Dragon Knight with a curious gaze.

“Home for you is Eldin Caves, uh?” the chef asked casually.

Volga frowned imperceptibly, but answered anyway. “Yes.”

“Hm... Yeto wonders... you are Dragon Knight, who lives in Eldin Caves, yet you are human. Why is this?” he questioned.

Volga thought about this for a moment, before leaning back in his chair. “I woke up in the caves one day,” he began with a shrug. “I was told I had been found unconscious by a young Lizalfos, and taken to King Dodongo. They raised me as their own, and though I had learned the humans' ways as well, they had little regard for the Lizalfos, therefore I have little regard for them,” he finished, then quickly added. “But I don't mean you any disrespect by that.”

He sincerely hoped he hadn't offended the man. Though he wasn't one to be fond of people, he liked Yeto well enough. In fact, if he was being honest, most of the people he had met were friendly. Not including Captain Impa, of course.

Yeto waved his hand dismissively. “Do not worry. Yeto does not think you wrong to distrust people,” he replied honestly.

“Yeto and I came across a lot of people when we were moving here, many of them less than favorable company,” Yeta added. “Then when we arrived, we met the Queen by chance. She offered us work and a roof over our heads, without a single question about where we had come from. Never have I met kinder souls than those of the Royal Family...” she finished with a heavy sigh.

Volga eyed her curiously. “If you don't mind my asking, where _are_ the two of you from?” he questioned, not quite able to guess where they originally lived.

“A small village up in the snowy mountains. We had a large mansion there, but it was a very dreary place, not to mention very old and falling apart. We tried to keep it repaired, but whenever we fixed one area, another would fall apart. It was when we discovered a collection of bottomless pits underneath many of the rooms that we decided that it just wasn't safe to live there any longer. We had a hard enough time as it was. I couldn't imagine how rough it would be once we got older,” she answered with a shake of her head.

Volga raised a brow at this, then nodded. "I see. I take it that because of this, you are not bothered by the cold?" he wondered.

"Not very easily," she replied as she cleaned a plate. "What about you? I would imagine that living in the Eldin Caves would have made you fairly resistant to the heat."

"You would be correct," he answered.

Yeta nodded, satisfied with his response. She turned and began cleaning another plate as silence fell around them.

Volga continued to eat quietly, with the shuffling of people and silverware in the background as they prepared for the rest of the staff to arrive.

He watched as staff members appeared one by one, some of them eyeing him wearily as they filled their bowls, making him slightly irritated. He glanced back at a few of them, but ignored them for the most part, as he wasn't about to pick a fight. Yes, the subtle glances and whispering were irksome, but not so much so that he couldn't handle it. Choosing to ignore them completely, he allowed his mind to drift to the events of the past few days, as many things had occurred during that time.

_'Well...'_ Volga thought. _'I've been placed under the watchful eyes of Captain Impa and Link. I have learned that the King passed away recently, leaving Hyrule's future solely in the hands of Princess Zelda, as the Queen disappeared years ago. I have also discovered that the Princess frequently sneaks out to visit Nemi and her children in the forest. I have yet to find out just what Mira is, but she definitely can't be human. And, a ball will be held in two weeks' time, in order to begin negotiations with the other kingdoms...'_ he mused.

Honestly, he didn't know what to make of this information. Of course, he at least knew what subjects to avoid concerning the Princess. He recalled how she had asked about his own parents, and the disappointed look on her face after he had told her he never knew them. He decided he would try to avoid treading such thin ice, for the outcome certainly wouldn't be a good one. _'For now, I should focus more on freeing myself,'_ he thought with a small frown. With this is mind, he finished his soup and stood to return the bowl, thanking the couple as he did.

“Gone for night, uh?” Yeto asked with a kind smile.

“Not just yet. I'll head back to the library first. I'd like to do some research,” he replied.

“The library? I must say, I didn't think reading would interest you,” Yeta said with mild surprise.

“Yeto didn't either,” the chef added.

Oh, the side effects of being a cave dweller.

Volga shrugged with a look that said 'that's just the way it is', unable to think of a better response.

Yeta shook her head with a smile. “Well, no matter. Good luck with your research,” she said sweetly as she returned to her tasks.

“Thank you,” he replied with a nod. When she returned it, he headed for the doorway, thinking of where to start once he reached the library. _'I'll see what books they have about magic. I might be able to find the basics_ on _spell breaking,'_ he thought as he leisurely strolled down the hall. When he was a few feet away from the corner, he saw the Princess coming around it. She only hesitated a moment before smiling and approaching him.

“Good evening, Volga,” she greeted with a small curtsy.

“Good evening, your Majesty,” he replied as he bowed. When he straightened, a slightly confused look crossed his face. “Are you just now going to get dinner?” he questioned.

“Oh, yes. I was waiting until everyone else was finished,” she replied.

He nodded in understanding. “I see. It wouldn't do for you to dine with the servants.”

A frown appeared on her lips. “I would have no arguments about dining with my staff,” she told him politely, though her voice held a displeased tone.

Volga's frown deepened. “What do you mean? Isn't it considered improper by your kind?”

“By ou-... others, yes. However, I do not share this view,” she said after rethinking her words.

“You don't?” he was completely confused now.

“No. They clean this entire castle every day, dusting the rooms, polishing the floors and heirlooms, washing the linens and dishes, along with the outside work, where the animals are well kept and the gardens pristine, not to mention everything in the armory. They exhaust themselves daily. It is only right that they should dine before I,” she replied.

Yet another strange answer.

“I see your reasoning; but they are your servants, correct? You provide them with income and a roof over their heads; therefore, isn't it part of their job to ensure you are satisfied before tending to their own needs?” he asked, wondering how she would respond.

“Yes, that is true...” she conceded with a sigh, then almost scowled when she continued. “But I dislike it. A King and Queen, along with their children, are relied upon to lead and protect their people. A royal should carry themselves in such a way that demands respect, but shows humility and the acknowledgment that the hopes of their people rest on their shoulders. They should fight alongside their men, yet also be able to stand alone if they must. How can a man who demands to be dressed and fed, as if he were an infant, claim to be a King and deserve the respect that comes with it? Such people are an insult to the kind of King my...!” she stopped, her expression quickly melting from offense and disgust, to slight shock, then finally solemn, her gaze falling to the floor off to the side as her bright eyes became dull, revealing her misery.

Seeing her anger vanish an instant, only to be replaced by heartache, left him feeling as if he was being crushed by some unknown force. He had never felt such a weight on his own heart, nor had he known that it could fall so much just from seeing the raw pain that enveloped her face.

He stood rigid, unsure of what he should do. His lips parted as he tried to think of what he could say, but seeing how lost she was in her thoughts caused any words to die in his throat. After a few moments of silence, he leaned over slightly.

“Princess?” he asked softly, leaning over to peer at her face and hoping the movement would catch her eye. To his relief, her gaze snapped to his face in surprise. He gave her a look that he hoped conveyed his question, and he watched closely as she blinked a few times before giving him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

“My apologies, I have taken up too much of your time,” she said, shaking her head and starting to walk around him as he rose back to his full height and turned to follow her. “You must be tired, so I will take my leave. Goodnight, Volga,” she added as she began walking away.

“Goodnight, your Majesty,” he replied, not knowing what else he could say. He watched her until she disappeared into the kitchen, and remained where he stood for a moment. Then he turned and began to walk the path to his room.

He couldn't understand what had just happened. Yes, he knew she had been reminded of her father, and thus she had been thrown back into her memories of him. He himself had often turned melancholic when he thought of the parents he never knew. It was hard not to, when you didn't know if they had abandoned you or if you had been taken from them. What he didn't understand was why he had felt as if he had failed somehow when the Princess walked away. He had felt like he needed to say something, anything to alleviate the weight that had made her entire posture fall. He couldn't say that he understood her feelings, as the only parental figure he knew came in the form of King Dodongo, whom his relationship with leaned more toward that of mentor and apprentice. Sure, they considered each other father and son just as the others did, but the Lizalfos and Dinolfos were a family of warriors who prided themselves on strength and skill. No matter the rank of their parents within the clan, they didn't play favorites when the hatchlings came of age and began their training.

To the clan, it was simple. All offspring had to prove their worth to earn their place within the clan's ranks. Those who failed to do so were sent to the 'Iron Shamans', or blacksmiths, as the humans called them. If you couldn't fight, you learned to build weapons and armor that would shield those who could. It didn't earn as much regard as the warriors, but you were still respected nonetheless, as it was a valuable skill. But, if you failed to do that, you would be branded a 'weakness' and sent to work in the Goron mines.

Therefore, the clan did not openly display affection, for goddesses sake they barely even did so in the privacy of their own dens. To them, the amount of adoration the humans showed one another was foolish, as they believed love should be a closely guarded secret, so much so that within the presence of others, you could never tell which pair of Lizalfos or Dinolfos were mates. Volga remembered that when he had come of age, they had worried he would be just as affectionate towards his mate as the other humans were. Many of them would argue about whether he would or even should choose from one of their own, as the clan's laws clearly stated that he had earned the right to choose his mate from among them. Sure, his dragon blood gave him a regard for the reptilians that no other human would have, but in his eyes, the females of the clan were anything but attractive, and he knew the feeling was mutual. He found the idea of a mate from within the clan just as repulsive as they did.

However, getting back to the main point, there was no telling just how much time the King spent doting on his daughter. Volga couldn't imagine how much the Princess had loved her father and had been loved by him in return; and since he didn't understand how it worked, there was nothing he could do for her.

**_'Hmph,'_** the Dragon snorted. _**'Being with the humans has made you soft.'**_

Volga frowned as he finally made it to his room and stepped inside. Why did he care in the first place? Humans and their emotions were of no concern to him.

….....

So why did that make him feel like scum?

_'You're half human, what did you expect? Males of any species have a natural instinct to protect females from harm of any kind,'_ his human nature countered. _'Of course_ _you're going to feel horrible when you fail to do so.'_

He growled in irritation as he removed his helmet and set it aside. He'd be lying if he said that this wasn't becoming irksome, but what could he do? He did not know the true extent of a father's love, nor did he understand the feeling of losing it...

But he did know the loneliness in realizing that it would never be yours.

He allowed the memories of his first days with the clan to flicker before his eyes as he removed the rest of his armor. It had been hard, to put it simply. How could it not be, when you woke up on a cold, stone floor without any recollection as to how or why you were there? Knowing that something had happened, but not remembering it, was a frightening thing. At first he had begged King Dodongo to let him retrace his steps, to see if it would help him remember. But the clan chief merely shook his head and told him that he was too weak to survive the barren landscape that surrounded their home for miles. He told him to wait and see if his birth family would come looking for him, (though he warned him that it wasn't likely) or until he was strong enough to make the journey. After a few years had passed, King Dodongo asked him if he would try to find his past. Volga shook his head, saying that he no longer had the desire to find a life he didn't remember, and doubted he could return to.

The Dragon Knight was about to lay on his bed when he realized he had forgotten to go to the library. Seeing no point in putting his armor back on, he turned around and opened the door to step back into the dimly lit hallway. He quietly made his way to the library, trying to decide where he would start. _'Perhaps I'll just find a book on the basics of magic altogether. I would imagine that knowing how a spell works_ is _vital to reversing its effects,'_ he thought as he passed many portraits and paintings hanging on the walls. Deciding to amuse himself, every time a painting really caught his eye he would stop and read the plaque underneath it. Many depicted the Kings and Queens of Hyrule's past, but two in particular gripped his attention, as they were next to each other, and he stopped to face them.

To the left was a portrait of an older man with dark hair that was about the same length as Volga's, and was just beginning to show a little gray, along with a full beard. Though his expression was neutral, his eyes, which were a few shades darker than those of the Princess, held the same look of kindness he had seen within hers upon their first meeting. He began to read the plaque beneath it.

'King Laikon. Beloved son, husband and father,' it said.

Volga frowned. Why did that read in the same way as a tombstone would?

_'Oh,'_ he thought as he read the dates on the plaque. _'Because it is a tombstone of sorts.'_

After reading it again and realizing that the second year was the present one, he fully understood. _'I see. So this is what her father looked like,'_ he mused, his gaze returning to the face depicted in the painting. Now that he thought about it, the two were very similar, but he wondered where she got her blonde hair from, as the King's was a very dark color. He then decided to look at the other portrait.

Staring back at him was a lovely woman with a gentle smile, and green eyes that shone with mirth and a hint of mischief. Her blonde hair was done up in an elegant bun, with a couple of curled strands framing her face. Realizing that this must be the Princess's mother, he began to read the plaque.

'Queen Ilia. A loving daughter, wife and mother.'

Only the year of birth was shown, which confused him at first, until he remembered that she had disappeared. He could understand the absence of the year of passing, since they didn't really know what had happened to her. Stepping back, he looked at the pictures side by side. Artists can capture many features of a person within a portrait, and whoever painted these two in particular did well with their expressions. But even a portrait doesn't compare to the real thing, and considering how lively they looked within the paintings, he could only imagine what they must have been like in life.

“They were good people,” a voice told him.

Volga snapped his head in the direction it came from to find Yeto approaching him, while eyeing him curiously. He stood next to him and looked at the portraits as well, a sad smile on his face.

“You knew them well?” Volga asked in curiosity.

“Yes. King and Queen always kind to Yeto and Yeta,” he replied. “Yeto never met kinder people.”

“They sound very trusting. Perhaps a little too much?” he turned to the chef with a raised brow.

“You would think,” Yeto answered. “But King was no fool. He knew bad people from good ones.”

“I see,” Volga said as he turned back to the portraits.

They were quiet for a moment, both lost in their thoughts, until Yeto sighed.

“It is a shame. He was good ruler,” the chef said.

Unable to contain his curiosity, Volga glanced at him. “What about as a parent?” he asked. “Would you say he was a good father?”

Yeto looked back at him in slight puzzlement. “Yes.... King took Princess wherever he went. Loved her very much. Always with her,” he replied, then became saddened again. “Yeto can't imagine how lonely Princess must feel.”

The Dragon Knight nodded, expecting that answer since he recalled that Impa had said the same thing before. He heard the chef shuffle his feet for a moment before he saw the bearded man turn to him in his peripheral vision, prompting Volga to look back at him.

“Yeto knows you are not people person, but...” Yeto paused, seeming to mull over his next words. “Could you find time to keep Princess company?” he asked.

Volga couldn't hide his surprise at the sudden request, and it took him a moment to reply. “I don't mean to sound rude but, why me? Surely you or, anyone else in this castle, really, would be better suited to such a task? She hardly knows me, after all.” 'Though I suppose it would only help me, in the end...'

The chef nodded. “Exactly. You would be good distraction for her, and good distraction is what she needs. Yeto knows everyone wants to help Princess, but no one has time, and Princess thinks she would be bothersome. Princess needs to take mind off of broken heart, and Yeto thinks you could help. You have training and dance lessons, yes, but you are only one who doesn't have castle to clean, soldiers to train and meals to cook,” he told him simply. “But, it is okay if you do not wish to. Yeto knows talking is hard sometimes, especially when you prefer keeping to self,” he added with a shrug as his gaze returned to the portraits.

Volga thought about the chef's words for a moment. He didn't think he was the best candidate for such a task, but Yeto did make a few good points. He himself was the only one with a decent amount of free time, and those that wanted to help had their own jobs to attend to throughout the day. _'Besides,'_ he thought, _'this could be a good opportunity to earn some trust. Maybe I could see what she knows about spell breaking while I'm at it...'_

Though he wasn't sure if he could really help the Princess, as he rarely dealt with humans, he supposed it was the first time someone he actually liked well enough had asked him for a favor of this sort, and Yeto had been nothing but friendly since they had met. And so, he turned back to the chef with a sigh.

“I'll see what I can do,” he said in slight resignation.

Yeto looked at him with a grateful smile. “Thank you. Yeto knows everyone will be happy.”

“Of course,” Volga said as he began to turn away. “I would stay and talk more, but I'm afraid I must take my leave. I'd like to get a little work done before I retire for the night,” he added.

“Yeto understands,” the chef replied. “But go to room soon, uh? Ball decorations arrive tomorrow, and Princess WILL ask for help,” he grinned.

Volga refrained from sighing, and simply nodded in reply. Yeto laughed heartily and walked away with a slight wave, leaving the Dragon Knight to his thoughts once more. He turned and resumed walking the path to the library, hoping that he would be able to find something that would help him cut the strings that vile sorceress had attached to him. Feeling a hint of the deep, feral anger he held towards the woman swell up in his chest, he opted to glance around at the various decorations placed alongside the walls and windows instead. As he strolled down the hall at a leisurely pace, a subtle frown crossed his face as the last rays of sunlight faded, and the shadows of night crept in to take their place. His reptilian eyes took note of the grandeur and beauty that each of the items presented themselves with, be it the tapestries, vases, statuettes or paintings... He couldn't help having an appreciation for such things. Dragons have an affinity for anything vibrant or shiny, and are known to hoard said items. He himself had learned to ignore this tendency, but he couldn't just not admire the treasures, especially when they were _right there..._

But he found that despite their extravagance, they did nothing to erase the feeling of loneliness that seemed to haunt the castle's ancient halls. It hung in the air around him, leaving a cold chill in its wake as he passed, even though there were many candles lighting the way. He knew that almost every room housed a staff member or soldier, but he felt oddly isolated from them, which wasn't something he was used to.

_'Has it always felt like this?'_ he wondered, glancing around once more. _'Then again, I suppose it's not that surprising, with the kind of past this place must have...'_ With this thought he eyed the cracks in the walls, curious as to whether they were from age or battle. As he pondered this, he finally made it to the library doors and pushed one open, the scent of aged leather and paper, with a faint hint of parchment, greeting him upon entrance. He remembered seeing a section for combat classes on the second floor, but he decided it would probably be better if he looked around the first floor before heading upstairs, so he began strolling through the aisles to look for anything related to magic.

_'No. No. Not quite. Still no,'_ he thought as he read the various titles of the books resting on the shelf, his eyes landing on one he'd rather not touch. _'I'm fairly certain I know enough about that to last me a lifetime...'_ he grimaced slightly, before moving on. He looked around some more, finally spotting the section he needed and making his way towards its shelves. Once he got started, it didn't take him long to find one such title, and he was quick to remove it from the shelf. Then he saw another book that speculated on the origins of magic and what it was altogether, and took it as well. Deciding that what he had found would do, he went to one of the many tables that had been placed throughout the room and sat down, opening the origin book to begin his research. He read through it carefully, absorbing as much as he could from it while he was able to, as he was steadily growing more tired. The good news was, it was interesting enough to keep him from passing out on the spot, but unfortunately it did nothing to keep his eyelids from drooping.

There were a lot of things within its pages that might be useful later, and the book did mention spell breaking throughout its entirety, but it wasn't the kind of information he had been looking for. He needed to know how spells and magic worked as a whole, not just bits and pieces. If he could learn how it was all woven together, he would hopefully be able to reverse the process and remove whatever spell he was under the influence of. Nevertheless, the first book was informative, but not quite what he was looking for. So once he finished reading it, he closed it and picked up the second book.

Opening it, he saw that there was a section dedicated to the basics of spell breaking, giving him some relief. Part of him wanted to skip to that section, but he decided it would be better to read the whole thing. He didn't want to possibly make things worse by attempting to remove the spell without first knowing how it was cast and what held it together. Magic could get very complicated, after all.

_'But it is getting late, and I'm not sure I'll be able to stay awake much longer, so I should probably head back to my room for the night. I hope it won't be frowned upon if I take the book with me,'_ he thought. Deciding to do just that, he closed the book and picked it up as he stood from the table, a small yawn escaping him as he turned and made his way toward the doors. It wasn't long before he was once again in the hallway, heading back to his room.

He hoped that the book in his hand would contain the answers he was looking for, as the sooner he was freed, the sooner he could return home.

**_'Hmph, if only. I can't stand how gullible these humans are. It's a wonder they thrive as well as they do, with all the softness they display,'_** the Dragon snarled.

_'Do not mistake softness for weakness. There has been many a kind-hearted soul that could take on adversaries twice their own size. Such as Link, for example. Despite being fairly short, he can hold his own in a fight,'_ the human countered.

Volga growled, and chose to push the conflicting instincts aside. He really didn't want to delve into his opposing bloodlines for the time being.

He chose to focus on something else, and thought back to the favor Yeto had asked of him. How was he supposed to keep her company when he didn't even know her whereabouts most of the time? More importantly, how was he supposed to do so when Captain Impa was around? The strict woman didn't trust him at all, and he'd rather not think about how much worse she would be if she saw him around the Princess all the time. He growled slightly, pinching the bridge of his nose as he rounded a corner.

_'Right. Train with Impa, dance with Yeta, prepare for the ball, prepare to meet all the hypocrites at said ball, provide company for the Princess and gain her trust while simultaneously researching magic without anyone knowing about it to see if there's a way to get out of this mess before things start to get ugly. No pressure...'_ he thought with another growl, before sighing heavily. He hoped he could get himself out of all this soon.

He continued the rest of the way in silence, lost in thoughts of home. He wondered what the clan was doing, and if they were well. He imagined that since he had disappeared so suddenly and he was of high rank, they had probably sent search parties to find him, most likely starting with the Goron Mines. He occasionally traveled there to see how their miners were faring, and often traded with the Gorons. It had taken a long time to achieve this, as the Brothers weren't fond of Reptilians, due to tales of the suffering their ancestors endured due to Volvagia's tyranny. Hence, they never referred to Volga by his given name, only calling him by his title of Dragon Knight as suggested by King Dodongo. He wasn't one to mingle with Gorons, but he respected them, and had no wish to cause offense by bringing up the Era of Time.

The clan had probably appointed someone else to take his position in his absence; however, they would only wait for his return for so long before it became permanent. If he made it back after this occurred, it would not affect his rank, but he would not regain the same position. He sighed, something that was becoming rather common for him, and grumbled lightly. He had worked hard to get that position, but he supposed there was nothing he could do about it now.

After a few more minutes, he finally reached his bedroom door, entering quietly and closing it carefully behind him. He lit the small candle on his nightstand and set the book down beside it, beginning to change into his night clothes. Once he finished, he settled into his bed and debated reading a chapter or two of the book, but after a moment he decided against it. He then blew out the tiny flame, his eyes adjusting quickly with the help of the moonlight streaming in, before he rolled over and stared out of the window beside the bed. He looked up, and once again he could see a faint orange glow flickering in the Princess's room behind the closed balcony doors, as the curtains were still drawn. And, though he could barely see her, he could tell that she was working.

He knew it wasn't an uncommon thing by any stretch of the imagination to see a royal working late into the night, not to mention that he himself had been doing the same just moments before, but he still couldn't help wondering what sort of tasks kept her up so late. However, before he could ponder it any further, he saw her approach the doors and open them to step out onto the balcony, illuminated once more by the pale moonlight. She had already removed her tiara and all other accessories, and she seemed to almost breathe easier without them. She still wore her dress from earlier, but it was a little looser without the jewels normally sewn into it weighing it down. He watched as she walked to the balcony's edge and rested her hands on the railing, her questioning gaze seeming to search the stars above, almost pleading for them to answer.

He felt that same weight from earlier settle in his chest again as he watched the misery return to her features. She sighed and bowed her head, her shoulders rising as she took a deep breath, releasing it slowly before she looked again to the night sky. Her gaze became clouded until it lit up slightly in remembrance. Straightening, she closed her eyes, lifting a hand to gently press two fingers to her lips, and they opened again as she seemingly reached out, palm up, to the heavens, a sad smile upon her face. After that, she turned around and went back inside, closing the doors and curtains as she went.

His brow furrowed in puzzlement. What exactly had that meant?

_'Was it a farewell?'_ he wondered, remembering the way she performed the action. _'Hm...I don't think so_.... _Perhaps it was a gesture of affection? It definitely had a certain gentleness to it. But it also seemed like a message. A prayer of sorts...'_

While he was curious, he could feel his eyelids getting heavy again. _'I'll have to figure it out later, I'm far too tired now,'_ he decided with a yawn. He then finally allowed himself to relax, closing his eyes as his breathing grew deeper.

_'I wonder if she found the answer...'_

 

* * *

 

Volga stirred as the faint sounds of shouting and clanging reached his ears, slowly rousing his consciousness to the halfway point between sleep and awakening. He tried to ignore it all, hoping to fall back into his dreams for a little while longer; but the sounds were steadily growing louder to his sensitive ears, and the sun's rays were beginning to shine in his eyes. His face became annoyed as he tossed onto his other side, trying to avoid them, but the light filling the room combined with the noises echoing in the hall kept him awake. Finally, with an irritated growl, he opened his eyes to glance around the room, brows still furrowed.

He listened for a moment, trying to determine what was going on out in the hallway; but there were too many voices talking and yelling over each other for him to pick up anything specific. He yawned and sat up, deciding there was no point staying in bed since he couldn't go back to sleep. Throwing off the covers, he sat on the edge of the bed and took a moment to fully wake up. Dragons were deep sleepers, and could be a little... destructive, if they didn't take a moment to let their mind and body reach the same page. Not in an aggressive way, but rather they tended to stumble around a lot and could cause some damage to their surroundings. (He and two Dinolfos had gotten in a heap of trouble once when he had fallen asleep in his Dragon form and they startled him awake. One raging Dragon and a few damaged dens later, they had been severely scolded and had had to rebuild everything they had broken.)

After another minute, he finally stood and stretched, going over to put on his clothes and armor. Once he was ready, he put on his helmet and grabbed his Dragonbone Pike as he walked to the door, opening it to step into the hallway. He was greeted by the sight of butlers, maids and other servants scurrying all across and down the hall, carrying objects of various kinds. He then recalled Yeto saying that they would begin decorating for the Ball that day, and he realized that it was going to be a bigger occasion than he had expected.

The castle staff buzzed around him in a constant flow, their hurried conversations creating a dull roar that echoed loudly in his ears, causing him to grimace. He was just about to start growling to himself when a tiny form bumped into him with a force that was a little surprising, but when he looked over his shoulder, he wasn't so surprised anymore.

“Hello, Mira,” he greeted in nonchalance, trying to quiet his irritation.

The small girl looked up at him with wide eyes. “H-Hello! I'm r-really sorry for hitting you!” she squeaked as she readjusted a small stack of crates she held. “I actually came t-to tell you that the Princess has said you can forgo your t-training and lessons for today. Everyone is pitching in to help decorate, so all the daily ch-chores, except those concerning the animals of course, are on hold until the day of the ball,” she told him as she fidgeted.

Volga nodded. “Yes, Yeto forewarned me of today's work, so I imagined that would be the case,” he replied, then proceeded to sigh in resignation. “Just tell me what needs to be done.”

Mira smiled gratefully. “Th-Thank you!” she replied. “We have a lot to take care of, but before we can set up the decorations, we'll need to retrieve the crates they're in from the storage rooms.”

“I take it you've just begun that task?” he asked, nodding at the crates she held.

“Yes, b-but these here aren't even a fraction of what's in there,” she answered with a look that was somewhere between a smile and a grimace. “Give me just a m-moment and I'll show you where they are,” she told him as she quickly scurried away.

He only had to wait a few minutes before the young maid was back, motioning for him to follow her. She passed by at such a casual pace that he thought she might actually walk for once, but when he began to follow her, she suddenly flew down the hallway as if she were a cat being chased by a dog, leaving him to swear under his breath as he ran to catch up to her.

After a few turns at breakneck speeds, they finally came to a screeching halt in front of a large wooden door closer to the back of the castle. Volga took deep breaths to keep himself from gasping for air (he refused to be seen in such a state) while Mira opened the door to reveal a huge room, filled with crates that were stacked from floor to ceiling. He noted that the lighting was dim, but not so much so that they wouldn't be able to see what they were doing, so he followed along as Mira stepped into the room and grabbed a couple of crates.

“Could you grab those two right there, please? They're too heavy for me, and the Princess won't be back for a little bit,” Mira said, nodding at two larger crates as she carefully adjusted three smaller ones in her arms.

“You mean she was helping you before?” he asked, picking up the crates with ease despite their weight.

Mira nodded as they left the room. “Oh yes, the Princess always helps out whenever there's a huge event,” she replied. “She was about to get more crates when a butler showed up and insisted that she was needed elsewhere, so she told me she would return as soon as she could.”

“Really? I didn't think she'd be working with everyone else,” he said, though he supposed he should've seen it coming. Realizing his choice of words, he began to apologize, but Mira spoke before he could utter a word.

“It's q-quite alright, everyone believes that at first. Our Princess is very different from other people, just as you are,” she told him as they reached the Great Hall, where many of the servants were tying purple ribbons around the pillars that lined the room, taking two for each one and wrapping them in opposite directions to create a crisscross pattern.

“I can't argue with that,” he replied, setting the crates down as she did the same. It was pretty easy to see that he himself wasn't quite like your average Dragon man. _'Right,'_ he quietly huffed. _'because Dragon men are so common,'_ he thought with a roll of his eyes, slightly shaking his head at himself.

Mira giggled at his reply, then turned to give him a smile after straightening. “There we go, now let's go get the next load,” she said as she started walking into the hall again.

It took them at least eight or nine trips to the storage room to get the majority of the crates into the Great Hall, but thankfully it was a fairly easy process that didn't take too long to complete. He noted that despite the work, Mira didn't seem fatigued in the slightest; but it wasn't that unbelievable, since she spent every day running laps in and around the castle. He had just decided to ask her how many jobs there were around the place as they entered the Great Hall, when a flash of gold caught his eye.

Looking to his left, he saw the Princess conversing with one of the servants about the placement of some drapes. The blonde smiled and pointed at the railing on the second floor, saying something to the servant that he couldn't hear, but he did see the servant nod before leaving. He watched as she glanced around for a moment to see how things were coming along, turning slightly every few seconds until she finally spotted him and Mira as they were setting down their current loads. Smiling, she made her way over to them, and Volga grew anxious when he remembered their last conversation.

She greeted him with a quick nod, then looked to Mira after he had returned it. “I'm sorry I couldn't return sooner, Mira. I hardly got a word in before another task was given to me,” she said apologetically.

“It's alright, M-Milady. I know you're very busy, but you had only been gone a moment before Volga came to help me with the rest of it, so please don't worry about it,” Mira told her with a reassuring smile.

“Oh good, I was afraid you would have to get everything on your own, but I'm glad you had some help,” the Princess replied with relief, smiling as she turned to Volga. “Thank you for helping,” she said with a grateful tone.

Hesitating only a moment, he replied with a small bow. “Glad to be of service, your Majesty.” He straightened to find her smile widening a bit, and found that he couldn't help but stare.

She seemed much better than she had the previous night, to his relief. She was a little disheveled, as her dress was a bit dusty and few strands of hair had escaped from her braid, but overall she looked content. She began questioning Mira about the preparations, and he took the chance to observe her quietly from the sidelines. She spoke happily to the young girl, and he wondered if her renewed joy was due to the approaching ball, or simply because she enjoyed talking with her. Either way, seeing that her heartache had been forgotten, if only temporarily, quelled any panic that had arisen in him.

“What about the ball itself? Have you found some musicians?” he heard her ask, bringing his attention back to their conversation.

“Y-yes Milady, we've hired the best in the kingdom,” Mira replied.

“Very good. And the Charity Trades?”

“I believe the Lanayru Kingdom will be hosting this year.”

“Excellent. Now if only he would leave his son at home this year...” Zelda said casually. They were faint, but there were many murmurs of agreement among the staff, coming from the maids especially, but the Princess was unaware of this as her eyes widened in realization of her words. “Please pardon me, it was very rude to speak of our allies in such a way,” she said quickly, slightly averting her gaze.

Volga frowned in confusion. _'Strange... she hasn't spoken poorly of anyone in particular before...'_ he thought, listening intently.

“If I may be so bold, Milady, I am often pleased to know you share my opinions of his character. He is by far the most self-centered person I have ever had the misfortune of meeting,” Mira told her with a smile.

“Now Mira, we shouldn't openly voice these opinions,” the Princess said, slightly scolding, but the gleam in her eyes and the way she refrained from smiling revealed her true feelings on the matter.

“Of course, Milady, please forgive me for being so ill mannered,” the maid replied, returning the look with a barely hidden smile of her own.

“Well, I suppose I can turn a blind eye, but just this once,” Zelda replied, then glanced at Volga and saw his puzzlement. “Ah! I apologize, Volga, I didn't realize that it would be hard for you to comment. I should've changed the subject sooner.”

He shook his head. “There's no need to apologize, your Majesty.”

She nodded, then sighed. “I have to say, I envy you two.”

Mira looked to the Princess with disbelief, whereas he himself became curious.

“Might I ask why?” Volga questioned.

“Neither of you are forced to be friends with those you dislike. You can simply ignore them if you wish, though it would be harder in Mira's case,” she replied, frowning slightly.

“Surely you can refuse to see anyone who offends you?” He inquired further, wondering why she would tolerate the presence of someone she disliked.

The Princess shook her head. “I'm afraid it's not that simple. Many of them are tradesmen, and their partnership provides Castle Town with produce and medicines that would otherwise be impossible to get. To refuse their company would put a great deal of strain on my people, and I can't afford to do that. Also, while there are many I would rather not associate with, some of them have families that are much more pleasant, and a refusal to one of them would be an insult to all of them,” she answered, sighing a little.

“That's very true, Milady, but as rude as it is, sometimes I wish they would decline the invitations,” Mira said with a frown.

“And miss the opportunity to tell me how to run a kingdom? Why, it would be too cruel of them to do that,” Zelda replied, unable to keep from making the sarcastic comment.

“It sounds rather unpleasant...” Volga murmured, glancing between the two.

“Very, but it is a small inconvenience when you consider the benefits it brings to the citizens,” Zelda said, then became alarmed when she saw some servants moving bundles of decorative swords. “Ah! Please be careful, those swords were just sharpened! Try not to jostle them too much or they could leave some nasty injuries. Oh, and could you please ensure that they are placed well out of reach? Especially a child's. I can't be sure if there will be a lot of children attending, but it's best that we don't take the chance.”

_'Hm. She's very involved with this,'_ he observed, watching her carefully. _'And she's certainly more protective of the people than I had expected.'_

He saw the servants nod and resume their tasks after receiving her thanks. The Princess then turned back to them and looked at him with a hesitant smile.

“I hate to ask, Volga, but there's work to be done in the stables and I could really use some help. Would you mind lending me a hand?” she asked, watching him closely.

Though a little surprised at the request, he nodded. “I'd be happy to, your Majesty. But I must warn you, most animals don't take kindly to me,” he replied.

Her smile brightened and she seemed to relax somewhat. “Don't worry, we won't be working with the horses much, if at all. Everything should be fine,” she assured him as she turned to Mira. “If you need any more help, don't hesitate to inform me,” she told the girl with a look that left no room for argument.

“Of course, M-Milady, thank you,” Mira replied with a grateful smile. “I should get back to work. Good luck to you both!” she smiled with a bow, then offered a small wave as she walked away.

The Princess's gaze returned to him. “Alright then, please come with me.”

Volga nodded and followed as she made her way to a set of doors, feeling a little anxious at the idea of being near so many prey animals at once; and he hoped they didn't go mad at the mere sight of him.

_'Well, even if they get a little riled, it will be fine as long as I don't provoke them, so I have nothing to worry about,'_ he thought with confidence.

But he had been wrong before....

 

* * *

 

Most of the walk was spent in silence, but not an unpleasant one. Both had been somewhat lost in their thoughts; but upon hearing a commotion inside the stables, they both snapped back to reality and rushed inside to find a couple of stable hands trying to calm a large horse that was thrashing about at the other end of the building. Volga could tell from its scent that it was a stallion, and a very unhappy one at that.

The beast was black as night, and tossed his head about with his ears pinned to his neck as he snapped at his handlers, snorting and pawing the ground in anger and pulling against his lead. The two men leaped this way and that, one cursing under his breath as he narrowly avoided a bite while the other tried to force the animal to move. The stallion had moved to snap at them, but stopped when his eyes landed on Volga and the Princess.

The sight of them seemed to make him more upset, as he began to paw and snort more fiercely, focusing more on the Dragon Knight as a challenge shone in his eyes. But when Volga moved slightly ahead of the Princess, the challenging look vanished and was replaced with hostility as the stallion squealed in outrage. He reared and lunged forward, charging straight at them with another squeal.

Volga had instinctively moved into a defensive stance, a growl rumbling through his chest as his predatory gaze focused entirely on the large mass of power galloping toward him at full speed. As it grew closer, he prepared himself for the brute force he was about to meet with head on.

“Deza! Enough!” the Princess shouted.

The stallion suddenly threw all his weight back, the screeching sound of hooves grinding against stone filling their ears as he skidded to a stop in front of them. He stood almost nose to nose with Volga, and he snorted loudly when their gazes clashed, one ear back and the other flicked in Zelda's direction. Despite the calmness the animal now showed, he could not hide the fierce look in his eyes

The Princess quickly stepped forward, taking hold of the stallion's bridle. “I'm so sorry about that. He's always been fussy and aggressive towards strangers, but never like that,” she said quickly. “I don't know what came over him...'

Volga shook his head. “Don't fret over it, your Majesty. I'm used to this sort of thing, though they usually run in the opposite direction,” he replied, studying the animal for a moment.

“Alright then... I should take him to his stall, so please wait here for a minute. I'll return shortly,” she told him, then turned around and led the stallion away, but not before the animal gave a quick snap at him as it passed, causing him to lowly growl back at it.

He saw that she stopped when the stable hands bowed in apology; and after they straightened, she offered them kind words and a smile before continuing on her way. She returned a moment later, carrying a crate that upon closer inspection held all sorts of tools. He wondered just what they'd be doing that would require that kind of variety.

She smiled as she approached him, and slightly lifted the crate. “I hope you're prepared. It seems that everyone has their hands full, so there's a lot more to do than I originally thought,” she said cheerily, as if she were happy to have the extra work, though he noted a little strain in her arms.

_'Hm. Thinking about it now, she does seem to get restless. I probably would too, if I were in the same situation,'_ he mused, then realized she was starting to give him a strange look and remembered that she had spoken to him. “Very well, where do we start?” he asked quickly.

She only hesitated for a second. “We'll start with the feed and then check the pasture fences. Some of our guests will arrive in a couple of days and stay with us until after the ball, so we need to be sure that we have plenty of feed for their horses. As for the fences, we'll need to look for broken boards and posts, and fix them if there are any. Some of the horses are always waiting for the chance to cause a great deal of mischief,” she replied as she motioned for him to follow.

He trailed after her as she led the way to their first task. “I see. Is this a common occurrence?”

“Not very, but it happens often enough that we make sure to take a look at the fences every now and then. But the stables and pastures are going to get very crowded soon, and not with just any horses. Many of them will be very expensive or rare breeds, some of the finest animals you'll ever lay eyes on, and it won't look good at all if any of them manage to escape the pastures,” she explained, glancing at him over her shoulder for a moment.

“I suppose I can understand that, but even if they did get out, they wouldn't get very far. The whole estate has a wall around it,” he stated as he glanced back.

“Yes, that is true, and you'd think that anyone else would agree. But most of the royals and nobles are more concerned about their prized, well bred mares or stallions mixing in with the crossbreeds we own. I wouldn't mind it, but according to them, any animal with an 'impure' bloodline is not worth the time or money,” she replied as they reached the feed room. When they walked in, she was quick to set down the crate of tools and pick up a small ledger that was laying nearby. Opening it, she began skimming through it and glancing from it to the stacks of feed bags across the room. She walked around them, jotting things down in the little book with a pen that had been inside it, and double checking here and there.

After she repeated the process a few more times, she finally put the ledger down and approached him. “Alright, I'm finished here. We can head for the pastures now,” she said as she moved to pick up the crate, only to find that Volga had already gotten it.

“Oh! You didn't have to get that, please let me,” she told him as they began to leave the room, looking a little worried.

“Nonsense. It's heavy. I didn't know at first, and I apologize for that, but now I do. I'll carry it,” he replied, moving the crate out of her reach as she neared him.

She sighed, unable to deny it, but smiled nonetheless. “Thank you,” she said softly as they made their way back outside.

He didn't understand it for the life of him, but it felt... good, to receive her thanks over something so trivial. The humans he had met so far were certainly different from others.

He glanced briefly at the Princess to see that a content smile rested on her lips, and he felt his own quirk up slightly at the corners as he looked away.

_'Very different indeed.'_

 

* * *

 

 

The following days of preparation went on much the same as the first had, and he had grown accustomed to being thrown into the fray as soon as he awoke. From sunrise to sunset there was always work to be done, and each day brought with it at least one new task for him to learn. From moving small statues this way and that, to filling the kitchen with all of the ingredients they had ordered for the ball, to giving his opinion on a few things here and there if the Princess requested it, there was hardly time for rest.

But today was the most hectic one he had seen so far. He had heard more shouting than usual, and he was a little startled at just how much movement was going on when he stepped out of his room. It was very crowded, as countless maids and butlers stood dusting, polishing, cleaning and fixing everything in the hallway for as far as the eye could see. He was just starting to wonder what could have possibly happened to bring about such organized chaos when he overheard the shouts of one of the maids.

“Hurry ladies, hurry! The Princess has requested we finish as soon as possible! The King could arrive at any moment!” one of the older women called as she raced down the hall. “We haven't any time to spare! Everything must be in perfect condition!”

_'The King?'_ Volga thought, puzzled by this information. _'This must be the guest the Princess spoke of...'_

He hadn't seen much of the young woman for more than a few minutes since the first couple of days they had spent working together, other than that he mostly helped Mira, Yeta or Yeto with their various tasks and tried to get in some training and dance practice if he could. He did recall the Princess mentioning that a guest would be staying with them, and he knew that she had received a letter from this person two days ago thanks to Yeta. Now, he knew that their visitor was a King, which explained the absolute chaos happening within the castle walls.

While he was curious to know more about this King, he wasn't curious enough to be willing to endure the stiffness that supposedly all royalty forced upon each other. Yes, he knew the basic rules of etiquette and whatnot, but he wasn't interested in sitting through formal dinners or having to listen to or engage in long, drawn out conversations that were full of mockery and self righteousness.

_**'Hmph. Their sense of pride is ludicrous!'**_ the Dragon sneered. _**'How do these humans manage to get anything done with small talk?!'**_

_'Small talk is actually very effective. Many humans choose actions over words, but there are some who use manipulation over brute force,'_ the human concluded.

He took a deep breath, and once again ignored this recurring conflict, deciding that maybe some training would help clear his mind. Just as he began to move, he heard a faint shout of his name that just barely reached his ears above the other conversations taking place around him. He stopped and turned in the direction he thought the shout had come from, and heard his name being called again. His eyes narrowed slightly as he searched the multitude of faces passing by, and after a moment he spotted Mira running toward him, waving until she knew he had seen her. Soon she was standing in front of him, breathing a little hard as she took a minute to catch her breath.

“P-Pardon me,” she said, finally breathing easier.

“Is everything alright?” he asked, wondering why she had been in such a rush.

“Yes, but I was sent to get you. The Princess has requested your presence in the throne room,” she told him.

“Really? Did she tell you why?” he questioned further, his curiosity showing through.

“I'm afraid not. But she has asked that you return with me as soon as possible,” she replied, waiting patiently.

He nodded. “Alright, let's get going then.”

Right after Mira nodded back, a loud shout echoed down the hall.

“Finish what you're doing! The King's carriage just arrived!” a butler yelled as he sped through the crowded hall. His words caused a flurry of motion around them as maids and butlers ran back and forth, carrying various items with them as they rushed to complete their tasks.

Mira looked frantic as well as she turned to him. “Come, we must hurry!” she said as she burst into the fastest walk he had ever seen, which left him rushing to keep up. They dodged and weaved through numerous people as they quickly made their way to the throne room, and he wondered why the Princess had sent for him in the first place. _'I'll find out soon enough,'_ he told himself as they rounded a corner.

“I can't tell if the King is already in there or not, so we'll go this way,” Mira told him as they neared a small entrance. Once they reached it, she turned to him. “For now, we'll wait here. After they've had a moment to talk, I'll go in and tell the Princess that you're here,” she explained as she looked down the small entryway.

Volga gave a quick nod, and was content to lean against the wall while they waited. That is, until he heard the front doors of the throne room open.

When he heard light footsteps enter the room, he (and Mira too, he noted) leaned over to try and see what was going on. He realized that he and Mira were in a hall behind the room, and he saw a young soldier briskly stride in, then come to an immediate stop as he bowed to the Princess, whom he could just barely see.

“Yes?” he heard her ask kindly. The soldier straightened.

“Your Highness, King Ezu has arrived,” he informed her, his face blank.

“Very good, please send him in,” the Princess ordered with a nod.

The soldier bowed once more, then turned and swiftly left the room, the large doors closing behind him. After a few moments the doors opened once more, and the same soldier walked in, bowed quickly and stood beside one of the doors. “I present his Royal Majesty, King Ezu of the Lanayru Kingdom,” the soldier bellowed.

A tall man walked into the room. His face was soft, though he had a couple of scars, one going across a dead left eye. His hair was almost completely gray, along with his full beard, and his one good eye was a dark brown. He wore formal attire that made his status as a King obvious, if the simple but well crafted crown on his head wasn't enough to convince anyone, and he carried himself in way that spoke of combat experience and confidence. A sad smile on his lips displayed the weariness he felt.

The old King stopped and bowed deeply, lowering himself more than most would have, and straightened, the look in his eye softening as his gaze returned to the Princess. To be honest, Volga didn't know what to make of it.

The Princess curtsied. “Welcome, King Ezu. It is good to see you again,” she greeted with a strange fondness in her tone.

“The pleasure is mine, your Highness. I am honored to have received an invitation to stay,” he replied. His voice was neither high nor low pitched, although he did have a slight accent.

The Princess nodded, then turned to the soldier by the door. “Thank you, sir. You may go.”

“Thank you, your Highness,” the soldier replied as he bowed. When he straightened, he turned on his heel and left, the large doors closing behind him.

There was a moment of silence after the doors had closed, and Volga wondered why that was until he saw the King glance over his shoulder, then turn back to the Princess, trying to contain his smile.

“Uncle Ezu!” the Princess called sweetly as she quickly walked over to hug the man.

The King laughed as he hugged her back just as tightly. “Princess Zelda,” he greeted warmly, his hands reaching up to cup her face. “You get more beautiful every time I see you, while I just get more wrinkles!” he told her, feigning a pout.

“Uncle, quit pretending to be old. I know for a fact that you're still chasing away noble women!” the Princess replied with a laugh.

“Hey now, I didn't say I was old, I said I had more wrinkles! They aren't the same!” he huffed, a huge grin on his face as he shook his head. “And here I thought you had grown out of talking nonsense. Where did we go wrong?” he sighed deeply.

To say that Volga was shocked would be a lie. He was downright bewildered by their display. How was this man related to her?

“King Ezu grew up with her father,” he heard Mira explain, causing him to look at her. “They were like brothers, and visited each other often, so after the Princess was born, they taught her to call King Ezu 'Uncle', and that's what he's been to her ever since. At least, that's what Miss Yeta told me.”

“I see. Thank you,” Volga replied as he turned to look back at the two. He watched as they laughed together, until a forlorn expression fell upon the King's face.

King Ezu took hold of the Princess's arms and gazed at her sadly. “Zelda, I am so sorry I couldn't come back sooner. After the funeral, I tried my best to clear my schedule, but....” he trailed off, looking down at the floor.

“Don't be sorry, Uncle, I know you tried. He knows you tried, too,” the Princess replied, her voice cracking slightly as she gripped the King's arm.

Volga frowned slightly. The weight had returned, and at the moment there was nothing he could do about it.

The King's lip quivered slightly as he tried to smile. “He would be very proud of you, my dear. Despite everything that has been placed on your shoulders, you've done so well with Hyrule,” he told her softly, but firmly.

She nodded, and hugged the King tightly once more and thanked him.

“Uncle, at some point, would you tell me about him? When you were children?” she asked softly after a moment.

“I would be happy to,” he replied with a bittersweet smile.

“Thank you,” she said, her voice still shaking a little.

Silence fell once more, and after giving them a moment to regain their composure, Mira walked purposefully into the throne room. He watched as the Princess and King separated and greeted the maid, who proceeded to whisper into the the Princess's ear. When the Princess nodded, Mira returned to the entryway.

“Alright, you can go in now,” she told him with a smile as she bowed quickly.

“Thank you, Mira,” he replied, bowing in return. After she had disappeared, Volga straightened, and held himself as the proud warrior he was, striding confidently into the room.

Upon hearing his footsteps, the Princess and King both looked up with puffy eyes, the young woman giving him a kind smile while the man gazed at him curiously.

The Princess was the first to speak. “Good morning, I apologize for calling on you so early.”

“Please, there's no need to apologize, your Majesty,” Volga replied with a bow.

“If you insist...” she told him, then gestured to the King. “This is King Ezu, ruler of the Lanayru Kingdom. He will be staying with us for awhile,” she explained, then looked to the King. “King Ezu, this is Volga, from the Eldin Caves.”

Volga bowed, and the King returned it with a small bow of his own. “I've heard many stories about you, Dragon Knight. You're quite the mystery to the Gorons,” Ezu smiled.

“Is that so?” Volga asked, genuinely curious.

“Certainly. There are many myths and stories among the Goron Tribe about the great Dragon Knight,” The King replied, a questioning look in his eye.

“I see. I wasn't aware that my name had traveled so far,” Volga replied.

“It's incredible how fast word can spread, especially in terms of myths and legends. I never expected to meet one though,” Ezu commented. “But I am glad for it. Please, join us for a walk? I would like to know more, and I would love to see the gardens,” he said, looking at him expectantly.

Volga glanced at the Princess, who smiled encouragingly, then returned his gaze to the King with a nod. “I'd be happy to.”

“Excellent! Princess Zelda, would you kindly lead the way?” he asked the young woman kindly.

“Of course, right this way,” she replied with a bright smile as she began to walk toward an entryway.

The two men followed a few steps behind her as she led them outside, the King asking Volga various questions about the Eldin Caves, which the Dragon Knight answered as best as he could without revealing too much about himself, but thankfully it wasn't too hard to do so. The King had just opened his mouth to speak when the Princess spoke from ahead of them.

“By the way, Uncle Ezu, where are the others?” she asked over her shoulder, a hint of what sounded like hopefulness in her tone.

“Ah! They should arrive sometime this evening,” he replied cheerily. “They're all excited to see you. Loka especially,” he added.

It went unnoticed by the King, but Volga could see the Princess jolt slightly, and he raised a brow in curiosity.

“Oh, I can't wait to see them either!” she replied with enthusiasm that sounded odd to him, though it still went unnoticed by King Ezu.

Volga wondered what part of the King's sentence caused her reaction, as he himself found nothing wrong with it. But, considering she still looked a little stiff and her fingers were lightly drumming against her side, there must have been something that upset her within those words. Because of this, he decided to keep an eye on her for the time being.

Soon enough, they arrived in the gardens, and King Ezu took a deep breath, smiling contently. “Ah, there's nothing quite like a chance to relax and breathe in the fresh air. I haven't been outside for this long in ages,” he said.

The Princess, who had relaxed slightly, gave the King a confused look. “What do you mean? Don't you visit your own gardens daily?” she asked as she lightly touched a blue flower's petal.

The King sighed deeply. “Normally, yes. But lately I've been so busy that I just haven't found the time,” he replied. “But I'm glad to have the chance now. I can finally allow myself a little time for respite,” he finished with another sigh.

“Well, now that you're here, please just make yourself at home. You can go wherever you wish, whenever you wish,” the Princess replied, and Volga could see that her smile was a little brighter with the King there.

Said man smiled back just as brightly. “Thank you very much.”

A sense of calmness washed over them as Volga continued to answer the King's questions, though they were getting harder to explain, while the Princess examined the flowerbeds, content to simply listen to their conversation instead of joining in. The Dragon Knight sneaked a glance at her here and there, noting her much more relaxed posture and hearing the light humming of a gentle tune in his ears.

“May I ask how you came to live in the Eldin caves?” he heard the King ask, bringing his attention back to the conversation.

Volga looked back to King Ezu only to find that the man was giving him a strange look that he couldn't read, but he ignored it in favor of coming up with a good answer. He found himself hesitant to give the same response that he'd given Yeto and Yeta, so he decided on something else. “I come from a much warmer region outside of Hyrule, but I found that the Eldin Caves suited me well, so I decided to stay,” he replied, hoping that it would suffice. He internally sighed in relief when the King nodded.

“I can see how that would be so,” King Ezu said as they moved about the gardens.

After that, the King began to ask questions about Volga's training and other more personal things, then somehow they landed on the topic of his son. From what the King told him, the Prince sounded like a decent man; but he could see the Princess's shoulders growing tense again as the King spoke of her childhood with the Prince.

Volga would think that the Princess would recall the memories fondly, as it sounded like they were good friends; but her body language stated otherwise, and he couldn't help but wonder what had caused her to have that sort of reaction.

“Well, I would love to stay and talk further, but I'm quite tired from the journey here. I think I will retire to my room for awhile,” the King said suddenly.

The Princess looked at the King with an understanding smile. “Of course, please feel free to rest your eyes. I'll send someone for you when it's time for supper.”

“Thank you, my dear,” the King replied with a smile of his own, then turned to Volga. “It was nice to meet you, Volga. I look forward to our next conversation,” he told him with a bow.

Volga returned the gesture. “As do I, your Majesty.”

King Ezu nodded, and offered a small wave as he returned to the castle, leaving the two alone in silence, save for a few birds that chirped above them. Volga was debating whether or not he should question the Princess about her behavior when he heard her speak.

“It might get confusing if you call both the King and I by the same title,” she stated, her back facing him as he turned to glance at her.

“Then shall I call you 'your Highness' instead?” he asked, watching her curiously.

“Please, you don't have to be so formal. Just 'Princess' will do, since you've already used that. But I must admit that I prefer 'Milady', if it can't be my name,” she replied, still turned away from him. “I suppose there's nothing wrong with using a title, if you feel you must, though.”

“If you prefer 'Milady', then Milady it shall be,” he replied simply as he turned to face her fully.

She finally turned around and smiled at him, then suddenly looked away from him and to the ground, lightly wringing her hands and biting her lip.

He frowned at this. “Is something wrong?”

“Ah, no, it's just....” she started, then sighed. “I apologize, but I have a favor to ask...” she said, sounding almost shy.

“Very well,” he nodded, encouraging her to continue.

“Well, you see... every year, my Father attends.... attended, the ball with me as my escort, but now that he... can't... I was hoping that you would,” she finished, watching him carefully.

He had to admit that this surprised him. “Me?” he asked, unsure if he had heard her correctly.

“Yes,” she nodded. “I'm sorry to ask this of you, but I would really appreciate it if you accepted.”

He stared at her for a moment, trying to read her expression. Her face was calm as she patiently awaited his answer, looking hopeful but not expectant. Though, he had a feeling that there was more to her request.

But regardless, he bowed. “I would be honored.”

He saw the Princess visibly relax as he straightened. This, combined with the grateful smile she gave him, made him think that whatever had her so on edge had something to do with the ball.

“Thank you,” she sighed in relief.

“Of course your- ah, Milady,” he replied.

She giggled softly, then gave him an apologetic look. “As much as I've enjoyed myself, I'm afraid that I must take my leave. The rest of the Lanayruan royals will most likely arrive just before sunset, and I need to ensure that the correct preparations are made.”

He nodded. “I understand. Thank you for allowing me to join you.”

“Thank you for accompanying us,” she replied with a kind smile. “Until tomorrow,” she said as she began to walk away.

“Until then,” he said, watching her leave. After she disappeared into the castle, he turned and headed for the training yard.

Later that night, the castle staff had been abuzz with the arrival of the King's family, and of course all sorts of gossip was going around. Some said the family was a kind one, while others sneered at the mere mention of them. He decided to treat these rumors as what they were, as he figured he would meet them soon enough.

But as he lay in bed with his eyes drifting closed, he couldn't help feeling that something was amiss with this situation. The King had had this excitement in the air around him, and gave Volga the feeling that something was going to occur soon. What it was, he had no clue.

But for some reason, he dreaded its arrival.


	6. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still have one complete chapter to edit and post, but it's 3:00 am now so I'm going to call it quits for the night. I'll get the chapter up tomorrow though, and in the meantime I hope you enjoy it so far~

Volga was irritated.

Actually, he was very, very annoyed...

…

Okay, scratch that. He was far beyond annoyed and was quickly approaching that unpleasant point just beyond average anger. He was downright repulsed, and as he approached the center of the room with a harsh glare directed at the young man, he had to stop himself from growling at the display before him. He couldn't help wondering how this situation had escalated so quickly.

He had known something was amiss when the Princess had asked him to be her escort for the ball, but he hadn't had a clue as to what it could be; and after King Ezu's wife and son had arrived, Volga hadn't seen her at all, so he hadn't been able to ask her directly.

He had wondered why she had asked him in the first place, when there were many other people she knew better. He considered that maybe he was the last choice, and while that was an irksome thought, he couldn't exactly blame her if that was the case.

He hadn't been any closer to the answer by the time the Ball had begun, and he had been ready to just let the matter go and not worry about it any further. But as he stood in the large room where the tailor had taken his measurements, straightening the dark gray clothing he wore while a servant left to return his armor to his room, someone began pounding loudly on the door. A little startled, he walked to the door and opened it to find Mira there, panting heavily as she leaned over slightly. Her struggle to regain her breath and her disheveled appearance had him tensing almost immediately.

“What's wrong?” he demanded, completely on edge.

“Noth-..... nothing fatal, s-sir, but you must hurry.... The Princess needs your help... A guest is starting to overstep his boundaries, and if you don't stop him soon she'll have no choice but to either placate him or shame him, and neither will end well,” she had gasped as she tried to explain. “Now go! The longer you wait the more attention he draws to the both of them!”

Volga nodded and darted past her. He hadn't been entirely sure what she meant, but he had decided he would find out when he got there. He had quickly made his way to the ballroom, the sounds of laughter and music growing louder until he finally reached the main entrance, greeted by the sight of a large crowd. At first he thought it would take forever to find the young woman, but fortunately for him, it hadn't taken more than five minutes.

“Just look at her! Why, I can't imagine how easy it would be for one of those peasants to snatch her right up, and hold her for ransom!” a young male spoke loudly, drawing the Dragon Knight's attention. “Which is precisely why she needs one such as myself to protect her, as only I can do. Wouldn't you agree?”

Volga refrained from sneering. _'What a fool...'_ he thought, beginning to turn away.

“I can assure you, Prince Loka, we have all taken the appropriate measures with security,” he heard the Princess reply with an underlying tone of annoyance.

Realizing she was with this 'Prince', Volga made his way in their direction, carefully pushing people aside and apologizing as needed. Finally, he spotted them. The Princess wore a slim, silvery dress, with a simple necklace and earrings to go with it. The man she was with wore much more.... noticeable clothing, though the colors were just dull enough to be considered appropriate.

“Even so, I highly doubt these 'guards' of yours could catch a wrongdoer before it was too late. My Father's guards, though, are the best our fine kingdom has to offer. I can't tell you how many wretched barbarians they've caught trying to sneak into the castle,” the young man told her, looking proud of himself.

The Dragon Knight almost snorted. He had trained with the Hyrulean guards, and he knew that they certainly weren't to be taken lightly. This Prince was just running his mouth.

“I am aware that King Ezu's men are exceptionally skilled; but even so, I have complete faith in my guardsmen,” her voice was sweet, but thick with forced politeness.

“If you insist. But in truth I won't feel secure at all until I have returned home. Honestly, Zelda, how can you stand to let these commoners in? They could be diseased or something,” the Prince muttered, glancing around with pure disgust.

Volga seethed upon hearing her name spoken without the proper title, and he could hear the murmurs of the crowd. No one dared to speak a royal's name without their title, as it was considered an extreme form of disrespect unless they were related to them

“Really? I have yet to see anyone in poor health,” the Princess countered, keeping her tone calm. Though the Prince was oblivious to it, Volga could tell that her patience was wearing thin.

“I suppose so...” the Prince replied. “But enough of that. I must say I am surprised to see you unaccompanied tonight, but lucky for you I arrived right on time. Allow me to be your escort for the evening.”

_'How about **I** escort **you** outside?!'_ the Dragon Knight thought with a growl.

“Thank you, but I already have an escort,” she replied.

“Oh?” impatience filled his voice. “And who might that be?”

“His name is Volga. He should be here any moment,” she answered confidently.

Said man hoped that would be enough to dissuade the Prince, but when he heard a bark of laughter, he knew that wasn't going to happen. He noticed that more and more of the crowd had gathered to witness this spectacle, and so he doubled his efforts to reach them before things got out of hand.

 

* * *

 

 As Loka laughed loudly, Zelda subtly searched the crowd, praying to the goddesses that her escort would arrive shortly. She could only do so much before Prince Loka ran out of patience and made even more of a show out of himself. She waited as calmly as she could for him to regain his composure; and as she watched him, she couldn't deny that Loka was a handsome man. With short, light brown hair and dark brown eyes, many women pined for him. A fact that he found very, very pleasing.

“You mean the 'Dragon Knight'? Please Zelda, I know that's just a myth! A fairy tale! You don't honestly expect me to believe that, do you?” he laughed heartily before giving her a mirthful look. “Really now, you don't have to be so embarrassed, just accept my offer! Everyone will definitely be paying attention if they see you with me.”

She gave him a tight lipped smile. “I do not jest, Prince Loka,” she replied.

The Prince gave her a doubtful smirk that dared her to prove it. “Oh please. I thought you had outgrown such childish stories.”

Though Zelda watched the Prince, she could hear her guests whispering to each other.

_“Oooh, I hope this won't be a repeat of last year...”_

_“Wait, someone's heading straight for them!”_

_“Is he going to intervene?!”_

“Even if he did exist, there's no way even you would let him in,” Prince Loka continued.

_“Hold on, just who is he? I've never seen him before...”_

_“I haven't either, but do you see the way he carries himself?”_

_“Is he a Captain in the Army?”_

“Living in the Eldin Caves all his life, he would be the filthiest thing anyone had ever laid eyes on.”

_“He's rather handsome, don't you think?”_

_“I must say I do! Where on earth is he from?”_

_“Perhaps he's a foreigner?”_

“His clothes would be mere rags and his face grotesque, and I dread to think of how horrid his speech would be.”

_“Oh my, I've never seen a man with such a mark on his face!”_

_“Indeed, and just look at those eyes! They seem to glow with that stunning color!”_

“I'll bet he wouldn't understand a single word anyone said!” the Prince cackled, his head falling back in his mirth.

But in doing so, he missed the look of surprise that came over Zelda's face, and even when he composed himself and smirked at her, he didn't see the subtle, relieved smile that followed it.

“My my, it seems the rumors have already started,” said a deep, rumbling voice.

_“Great goddesses! The man's twice the size of Prince Loka!”_

_“I pity the fool who provokes him...”_

She watched as Prince Loka blinked when a shadow fell over him, and had to refrain from smirking when the young man turned and nearly balked at Volga's height. The Dragon Knight stood tall as he loomed over the Prince, scowling fiercely as he pinned the man with a blazing glare that could've melted the snowy mountains.

“Prince Loka, I'd like you to meet Volga,” she smiled sweetly, holding back her own amusement.

The Prince managed to compose himself, but she could still see the disbelief in his eyes. “So he's...” he stared, “real...”

“Indeed. And not the filthy, grotesque, uneducated thing you had imagined, I might add,” Volga replied, his glare worsening.

“Yes, well...” Prince Loka cleared his throat as he turned to face him. “I sincerely apologize, I was only jesting,” he bowed, though his tone was anything but sincere.

“This is King Ezu's son, Prince Loka,” Zelda said, ignoring the false apology as she gestured to the Prince.

She saw a slight sneer cross Volga's face, but nonetheless he corrected his expression and bowed in return. “Nice to meet you, your Highness,” he too, was insincere.

They both straightened and glared at each other, until Volga huffed and walked past him to stand in front of her. “Good evening, Milady, I apologize for my late arrival,” he said as he bowed once more.

She smiled and curtsied. “That's quite alright, there's no need to apologize,” she replied.

After he straightened again, he glanced at the Prince with a subtle frown, then returned his gaze to her and offered his arm.

“Shall we?” he asked, keeping an eye on Prince Loka.

“Yes,” she replied, looping her arm through his as she breathed a small sigh of relief, then she turned to look at the Prince with a polite smile. “We must take our leave for now, Prince Loka, but I do hope you'll enjoy the rest of your evening.”

The young man's jaw was set, and the look in his eyes clearly conveyed his anger. His expression didn't change, even as he nodded and replied, “As do I.”

After that, she felt Volga lightly pulling her arm, and she was all too happy to follow as he quickly led her away. As they moved as quickly as they could without being too obvious, Zelda could hear the wave of surprised murmurs echoing through the crowd.

_“Did you see that?!”_

_“Yes! Yes indeed!”_

_“It's unbelievable! Not only did he confront, AND get an apology from the Prince...”_

_“He managed to sweep the Princess away from him too!”_

_“Only King Laikon could ever achieve that before!”_

_“Prince Loka must be furious...”_

_“I wonder what the late King would make of this,_ _if he were here?”_

Zelda couldn't help the hurt and longing she felt when his name was mentioned, and she tuned out their ideas of his reaction had he been there. For a few brief moments, she was oblivious to the world around her, until she felt a hand tentatively cover her own.

She blinked, and her gaze slowly traveled upward from the warm hand that held her own to the cautious, emerald eyes that looked back at her.

“Are you alright?” he asked softly, just loud enough for her to hear. His gaze flicked to and from her as he tried not to bump into anyone.

“Ah, yes, I'm fine,” she replied. _'Don't think about it, smile for your guests,'_ she told herself.

When he looked back to her, he didn't seem convinced. “Are you sure? If you are unwell, I can find someone to take you to your room,” he offered, looking over his shoulder every now and then.

“Thank you, but I assure you that nothing's wrong,” she said with a smile, hoping it would be enough.

His reptilian gaze studied her for a moment, but his expression was unreadable. Finally he nodded, but she felt that he didn't really believe her. However, instead of questioning her, he looked over his shoulder when a loud bark of laughter echoed throughout the room. “So, I suspect he is the reason you've been out of sorts recently?” he stated more than asked.

Zelda sighed heavily, but she had expected him to ask at some point. “I'm afraid so,” she nodded. “I apologize for his rude behavior. I would stop him, but I fear it would do more harm than good.”

She saw him shake his head as they slowed their pace. “Only he is to blame, and I am aware that it would be considered improper if you corrected him directly,” he replied.

“Yes, and it only makes it harder to tolerate him,” she said, then turned to him with a smile.

“I can imagine. I'll admit that I didn't understand why you had asked me to accompany you, but now I know,” he stated, finally bringing them to a pause once they were far enough away.

“I'm sorry, I feel bad for bringing you into the middle of this,” she grimaced lightly.

“Not at all. You had good reason to,” he replied.

“All the same, I apologize for it. It's unfair to you,” she sighed.

“Are you going to apologize all night?” he asked with an amused smirk. “I do not find it so bothersome. Besides, I rather enjoyed watching him squirm. Are the Lanayruans normally so pale?”

She quickly covered her mouth as she stifled her laughter, which only caused his smirk to grow. After a moment, she quieted enough to speak. “Would it be considered wrong of me to say that I enjoyed it as well?” she asked, unable to keep the humor out of her tone. Prince Loka's discomfort was incredibly satisfying, after all.

“To some, yes. But in his case, I think it's justified,” he answered, his amusement evident.

“I'm glad to hear it,” she smiled, content now that she could relax. But as she glanced around, she noticed a Goron Chief just arriving, and remembered that she had guests to attend to. “Well, as much as I would like a break, I'm afraid I have some negotiating to do.”

She looked up to see him nod. “Ah, that is true. I had forgotten that,” he admitted with a frown.

She was about to reply, but instead she couldn't help glancing over her shoulder when Prince Loka's laughter rang out from somewhere nearby, and she wasn't able to suppress a wince. Facing forward again, she found that Volga's gaze was once again flicking to and from her, only leaving her to look over his own shoulder as well.

She lightly cleared her throat, and looked at him sheepishly. “Would you mind accompanying me while I speak with the guests?”

“I won't mind. That's why I'm here, right?” he replied.

“Yes, but I wold hate to bore you with the negotiations...” she told him, watching as her guests laughed and danced together.

Her gaze returned to him when he chuckled lightly. “I may not look it, Milady, but I'm not the type to find such conversations trivial. I wouldn't say it's a favorite pastime of mine, but I find it can get interesting,” he admitted.

“But I thought you were indifferent toward Human affairs?” she questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“Indeed. I do not prefer to be in the company of Humans, but I must concede the point that being able to negotiate with them is a valuable skill. There are many things that the Eldin Caves and even the Gorons cannot provide,” he answered simply.

After a moment of thought, she felt she had to agree. “That is a valid point. But if you find us so loathsome, why did you come here and insist on joining us?” she countered. She had to admit that the question had been nagging her for awhile. She noticed that he glanced at her briefly, as if he was unsure of how to answer.

“I am aware that not all Humans are corrupt, and I fear my home will be caught in the middle of the war... Because of that, I decided that I would not simply wait and see what would come next...” he replied.

“But even so, you would rather that mankind left you alone,” she stated, feeling oddly saddened by this, even more so when he didn't respond. She wondered why he felt that way, when he himself was Human. Though, he had never called himself as such. She saw him frown slightly, and she waited patiently as he looked at her, seemingly trying to find the right words.

“Over the years, I have learned that Humans can't be trusted. Not entirely,” he said carefully, a strange note in his tone.

“Well, I can't deny that some people are untrustworthy,” she began. “But surely you have found that not everyone is the same, right?” she asked hopefully.

She refrained from saying anything more as he seemed to consider her question. She took the chance to observe him more closely now that things had calmed down somewhat. She was pleased to find that the Tailor had done well with his clothing, as she had expected, and the dark gray suited him. His eyes really did have a slight glow about them in the low lighting, and she wondered if it was natural or a result of magic abilities.

“They have not been unkind,” he conceded, “but how long does that truly last? I have yet to find a soul who is without greed...” a subtle frown crossed his face as he seemed to become lost in thought.

Zelda sighed. “You are correct. It can't be helped I suppose,” she replied. She heard him mutter an agreement as he shook his head, but she could see resentment in his gaze. Towards who or what, she didn't know, but she decided that a change of subject was in order. “But let's not focus on such things anymore. Instead, we should forget our troubles and enjoy the ball while we can. I'm sure some of the nobles and royalty have arrived by now. In fact, I saw a Goron Chief arrive just moments ago,” she stated as she searched the crowd. After a few minutes, she finally spotted the Chief.

“Ah! There he is,” she said, lightly tugging Volga's arm. He followed her without question, but he did lean down slightly.

“Forgive me for asking this, but could you please not mention my name to him?” he asked quietly.

How curious. “May I ask why? Doesn't everyone know your name?” she questioned, glancing at him briefly.

“The Gorons know only my title, and it is better that we leave it that way,” he replied.

_'How odd...'_ Zelda thought. “If that is so, how is it that the rest of us know it?” she inquired further.

“A few Human travelers have wandered into the caves before, and I think they must have heard it mentioned. Thus, they relayed it to others once they left. I hate to say that I'm not entirely sure, though,” he answered simply.

“Alright, but why does it matter if the Gorons know?” she asked. She wasn't sure why he would make such a request.

“Trust me, it's better if they don't,” he said with finality.

She couldn't help the puzzled look she gave him, but nonetheless, she nodded. “Very well, if it's that important to you.”

She was a little surprised when she looked up and received a grateful smile.

“Thank you, Milady,” he said, seeming a bit relieved.

“You're welcome,” she replied, staring at him as he looked ahead. _'He's proving to be a very strange man indeed,'_ she mused to herself. _'But, he is one mystery that will have to wait. Right now, I must see to the task at hand.'_

As they carefully made their way to the Goron Chief, Zelda sent up a silent prayer, hoping that her people would not be left to fight the war alone. Yes, her army was a large one; but for all they knew, they were severely outnumbered.

_'Which means I had better get started,'_ she thought as she watched the Chief look up and smile upon seeing her. She smiled and took a deep breath, preparing herself for the long talks ahead. Hopefully, if all went well, by the next day they would have more forces to aid their cause.

_'It will be fine,'_ she told herself. _'I've done this sort of thing plenty of times, so I won't make a fool of myself.'_

With this, she felt a little more confident, until she heard Prince Loka shouting from across the room.

_'That's right... There's no doubt in my mind that he's still fuming...'_ she thought.

She then remembered that Loka wasn't one to simply let things go, especially if he felt he had been slighted.

Which she knew that, as of this moment, he did.

She sighed, resigning herself to the fact that it was going to be a long night.

_'Goddesses, help me.'_

 

* * *

 

 Later on, after they had spoken to most of the guests, they finally made their way to edge of the crowd.

“That took longer than I expected...” Zelda commented.

“Is that everyone?” Volga asked her, watching some of the other guests.

“I believe so... The Kings of Eldin and Faron have agreed to aid us, as well as the native Goron and Zora tribes. Ordona will aid us too, but their funds are low, so they will only send a handful of troops. And of course King Ezu of Lanayru has agreed as well,” she replied, thinking carefully. “Which means we have full support,” she smiled brightly, breathing a sigh of relief.

“Then we can consider tonight a success,” he replied with a small smile.

“Indeed, and now we are free to enjoy it for ourselves,” she said brightly, before her smile slowly faded into a resigned frown. “After all, this will probably be the last time we are able to,” she added with a sigh. “Come tomorrow, we prepare for war.”

She truly dreaded the days ahead of them. They would be long, and the nights longer, as they marched onward to face their enemy. And it went without saying that many would be lost along the way.

“Then let's take advantage of it while we can,” his voice brought her back from her worries, and she glanced up to find him looking back at her with that small smile still in place. It was such a gentle expression compared to his usual indifference, and she wondered if he smiled more often than she originally thought.

“May I have this dance?” he asked, turning to her with a questioning look.

Her eyes met his, and she saw that they held no resignation or abhorrence, which slightly surprised her. She didn't think he would be eager to dance. In fact, she had half expected him to escape the possibility at the first chance he got, or at least ask her reluctantly. But apparently that wasn't the case, as he seemed very content with the idea.

After a moment, she smiled, “You may.”

Without another word, he carefully led her through the crowd and to the center of the room. He didn't try to pull her or tell her to keep up, which she had also assumed he would do. Instead, she was kept close to his side, and he also made sure that they didn't run into anyone.

As they finally reached the center of the room, a soft tune began to play, ringing pleasantly in her ears as Volga carefully took one of her hands in his and placed his other at her waist. His hands were calloused, which wasn't surprising considering all the training he did; but his grip was gentle as he began to lead. His movements were a bit rigid at first, but soon enough they started to flow as easily as the notes they followed.

She was honestly surprised by how well he was doing. Once he understood the steps, he completely relaxed into the rhythm, making the two of them practically glide across the room.

Zelda couldn't help a pleasant smile. “I must say, I didn't think you'd be this excellent a dancer. I'm impressed,” she said, noting that he did not push or pull her along with him, instead allowing her to follow through with only a little guidance.

“Am I so easy to doubt?” he replied playfully, a small smirk in place.

“I never doubted you would be good. It's how quickly you've learned that's caught me off guard,” she answered easily, her own grin beginning to grow.

“Hm, I suppose I can't blame you for that. But either way, thank you for the compliment,” he said as she stepped out to twirl lightly, before smoothly moving back to him.

“You're welcome,” she smiled. “Although, I wonder, did you take lessons prior to coming here?”

“Prior lessons? Really now, for you to ask such a thing... I'm hurt,” he huffed, feigning offense as they spun. “But to answer your question... no, I did not.”

She looked up at him to find that smirk of his back in place. “Then I must congratulate Yeta. I assume she was very strict with you,” she stated, knowing she was right when his smirk became a grimace.

“Indeed. I don't think anyone's come closer to making my limbs fall off than she has...” he replied with exasperation. “And though I hate to admit it, she's rather frightening...”

“Yes... she has that effect on people,” Zelda nodded. “But she gets the job done,” she added with a small shrug.

“True, her methods are certainly effective. She's a good teacher,” he agreed.

“Yes, she is,” Zelda smiled. She watched the other guests as they talked and danced, laughter and the dull roar of conversation filling the air while the music softly played in the background. To see everyone enjoying themselves made her feel lighter than she had before, and she was relieved to find that she herself felt relaxed and genuinely happy that she hadn't decided to stay in her room.

She was especially glad that she had asked Volga to be her escort. He had casually pushed Loka aside without so much as a blink and successfully helped her escape what would have been an extremely mortifying situation. She had also noticed that even before she had said anything, he had constantly taken note of their surroundings to ensure that Loka didn't sneak up on them; a fact she greatly appreciated.

She couldn't deny that she was enjoying herself for the first time in awhile. The past few months had been tiring, so she was glad to have at least one night of reprieve. _'And honestly, how can I be downhearted when I'm dancing with such an excellent partner?'_ she thought. _'I wouldn't believe he had only had a couple months' worth of practice if I hadn't set up the lessons myself.'_

She felt completely at ease. His steps were smooth and careful, like those of an expert. Perhaps it just came naturally to him...

_“Look, look! That man from before is dancing with the Princess!”_

_“Oh my, don't the two of them make a lovely pair!”_

_“Indeed. Honestly, I'm a little envious. How is it possible for two people to compliment each other so well?”_

_“I don't know, but I'm even more curious about who he is now!”_

Zelda couldn't help a small smile as she listened to the excited remarks of her guests. They always went wild with just about any little thing they thought would make for good conversation, but she couldn't exactly blame them.

“I'm curious. Pray tell, Milady, what's on your mind?” she heard Volga ask.

“I believe my guests are quite taken with you,” she replied, failing to hide her slight embarrassment when she looked up at him. She could tell from his expression that he had heard the whispered remarks as well.

“So it would seem. Are they always so...?” he paused, looking unsure of how to pose the question.

“Inquisitive?” she supplied, head tilted slightly.

“Yes,” he nodded.

“I'm afraid so. It starts as soon as you appear, and only continues after you leave. Most of them pry out of curiosity, but of course there are others who are only looking for something scandalous to gossip about,” she answered.

“Sounds rather tiring,” Volga stated, subtly frowning at the crowd.

“Sometimes. I was never very tolerant of idle gossip when I was younger, but I had to learn to ignore it. It's an unfortunate side effect of being royalty, but it does have its uses,” Zelda admitted.

“Well, I can't deny that,” he lightly shrugged.

They were quiet for a moment as the song slowly ended, and the other couples came to a halt with them. Once everyone had settled down, her escort turned to her with a small smirk.

“I think I did fairly well, if I do say so myself,” he commented with a hint of pride.

“Indeed, you did very well,” she agreed, laughing a little.

She waited patiently for him to reply, but just as he opened his mouth to speak, he was interrupted by someone tapping on his shoulder.

 

* * *

 

“Mind if I cut in?”

The Dragon Knight turned to see a familiar, scowling face.

“Nakoh?” he asked, relieved that it was the boy, and not the Prince, that had approached. But before either of them could say anything, a tiny form slammed into Volga's left leg with way more force than it should have, and he looked down to find the beaming smile of Aphei staring back at him while she trapped his leg in a death grip that shouldn't have been so uncomfortable.

“Hi Mr. Volga!” she greeted brightly.

“Hello Aphei,” he replied, completely puzzled by the child's strength.

What was the deal with the people here?

“Hello you two. I'm glad you could make it,” Zelda said sweetly.

“Hi Princess Zelda!” Aphei replied as she finally released him to hug the Princess as well. “Thank you for the dress! I love it!” she said. Her dress was light purple, with a slightly darker bow tied neatly around the waist. Despite its simplicity, it didn't look cheap.

“Yeah, um, thank you... Mom says thanks too...” Nakoh mumbled with a light bow, a hint of red in his cheeks. He himself wore a suit in earthy colors, with a hint of red in them.

“You're both very welcome,” the Princess replied, looking relieved. “Where's your mother?”

“She'll be here in just a minute. She's trying to avoid all the nobles asking where she's from,” Nakoh answered.

The Princess grimaced. “Oh dear, I should've known that would happen...” she sighed.

“Don't worry, Momma knows all of their tricks!” the little girl stated proudly.

“Yeah, she knows what to do, so she'll be fine,” Nakoh added, sneaking a quick glare at Volga before looking back at the Princess, his face reddening again. “U-Um, may I have the next dance, Princess?” he requested once more.

“Of course,” she replied with a gentle smile.

“Oh! Mr. Volga, will you dance with me next? Please?” Aphei pleaded, her violet eyes pinning him to the spot.

He hesitated a moment, glancing at the Princess in a moment of uncertainty. Seeing her nod in encouragement, he decided that he wouldn't disappoint the little girl. “Of course,” he replied, unable to contain a small smile when Aphei cheered in excitement.

When the musicians started tuning their instruments, Aphei quickly ran to him and took hold of his hand, positioning herself to follow his lead while Nakoh and the Princess waited beside them. Within moments the song began, soft and slow in its notes, which thankfully made it easier for him guide Aphei through the steps.

He was careful not to rush, so that the tiny girl would be able to keep up with him as she watched his shoes move across the floor in fascination, trying her best to match his movements. Soon enough she figured out the pattern, and followed him more fluidly, her beaming smile portraying the pride she felt at learning it so quickly. Volga thought it was well justified.

Glancing over, he found that Nakoh was having a harder time. He could see the nervousness rolling off of the boy in waves, and the Dragon Knight couldn't help but feel sorry for him. But in spite of Nakoh's rigid movements, the Princess smiled patiently, trying to help him as much as she could; and upon seeing that she was not cross with him, Nakoh finally began to relax, leading her more confidently.

The music began to fade as quickly as it had begun, and Volga led Aphei off to the side, with Nakoh and Zelda following after them. Once they were well out of the way, Aphei looked up at him with a large smile.

“Thank you, that was fun!” she said giddily.

“You're very welcome,” he replied, relieved to find that she had enjoyed herself.

“You danced wonderfully, Aphei,” the Princess said, then turned to the boy. “As did you, Nakoh. Thank you,” she added.

“Y-you're welcome...” Nakoh mumbled shyly, rubbing the back of his neck, though a small smile graced his reddened face. No one noticed the Princess's knowing expression.

Volga vaguely heard the Princess ask the children a question, but he paid it no mind as he had managed to spot the giant form of Yeto dancing with Yeta. The height difference between them was astounding, and he couldn't fathom how the smaller woman was able to withstand a mere hug from her husband. Surely anyone else would be crushed. On the other hand, Mira was nowhere to be found, but she had never seemed to be the type to enjoy social events, so he imagined she was hiding somewhere else.

And there was no doubt in his mind that Impa was somewhere nearby.

He couldn't help but grumble under his breath. He swore that woman had it out for him... not that she was unjustified in that regard.

He had torn through the books he had collected, but there was nothing in any of them that helped to piece together a solution to his problem. His odds of escaping his current situation seemed to become slimmer with each passing day. He was starting to wonder if he had any options at all.

“Volga, could you do something for me?”

Her voice brought him out of his thoughts, and he turned to find the Princess looking at him patiently. “How may I be of service, Milady?” he asked, deciding that everything else would have to wait.

“Would you mind taking Nakoh and Aphei back to Nemi? I would do it myself, but it seems the staff is having some trouble,” she explained.

It was then he noticed the Butler standing beside her and the children, all of them looking at him expectantly.

“Of course, Milady,” he replied with a small nod, motioning for the siblings to follow him. The Princess gave him a quick 'thank you', then turned to speak to the Butler.

Aphei was quick to grab his hand while Nakoh fell into step beside him, trying to stay close as they moved through the crowd. “Where did you last see your mother?” Volga asked.

“She was close to the entrance when all the nobles started talking to her,” Nakoh replied.

The Dragon Knight searched the crowd nearer to the front hallway, and thankfully it didn't take long for him to find a small group of people in extravagant clothing huddled near the wall. He could faintly make out a woman's voice replying to all their questions. _'Must be her,'_ he thought, heading in that direction, making sure to keep a slow enough pace for the children.

_“Are they his children?”_

_“I don't believe so. The boy's hair may be similar, but neither of them_ share _the man's features, from what I can see.”_

_“Hm... I wish he would ask me to dance...”_

_“As do many others, but it's rather obvious that he's the Princess's company for the evening,”_

_“Well, you have a point...”_

He breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing he wanted was a stranger's attention, especially if it was a woman. He had no interest in being the subject of anyone's advances.

To his relief, it didn't take much longer to reach the poor mother who had finally managed to escape the hounding nobles. She looked a little exasperated, but otherwise she seemed fine.

“Momma!” Aphei called cheerily, letting go of him to run to her mother as Nakoh leisurely followed. Nemi smiled upon seeing them, reaching out to give both of them a quick hug.

After a moment, Nemi looked up at him. “Thank you for bringing them. Are you enjoying the ball?” she asked kindly.

“Indeed I am, thank you,” he replied, then glanced at the nobles who had moved elsewhere. “I see you were able to escape your captors,” he commented.

“Oh yes, they finally focused on someone else long enough for me to sneak off,” she told him, then looked at him with a slight frown. “Are you here alone?” she asked in curiosity.

“Actually, I'm the Princess's escort for the evening, and speaking of which, I should probably go find her,” he replied as he turned to look over his shoulder.

Nemi nodded knowingly. “If it is for the reason I'm thinking, then I understand. You should probably hurry, before he-”

“Princess Zelda!”

The shout echoed throughout the room, much louder than the annoying laughter from earlier, sending everyone into complete silence. Volga and Nemi glanced at each other for a brief moment before they began to make their way toward the direction the shout had come from, with Nakoh and Aphei close behind.

As they drew closer, he could barely see the Princess standing in the center of an opening the crowd had made in their scramble to get out of Prince Loka's way as he briskly approached her, his arrogance growing with every step as he practically looked down his nose at the young woman.

Volga tried to move faster as the Prince and Princess now had everyone's attention.

“Is something wrong, Prince Loka?” he heard her ask.

“Not at all. In fact, I daresay that this will be one of the greatest nights of your life,” Prince Loka replied.

_'That doesn't sound good...'_ Volga thought, gritting his teeth. He was close enough now to see the confusion on the Princess's face, and the smugness on the Prince's.

“I beg your pardon?” the Princess asked, her confusion clear.

“May I have the next dance?” the Prince asked in response, ignoring her previous question.

The Princess was silent, but she nodded in consent, though she seemed hesitant to do so. Volga watched as the Prince led her to the ballroom floor, his jaw tightening as he suppressed a low growl. Something about the current situation didn't seem right, and he felt a sense of unease course through him. He wanted to step in, but he knew he couldn't without causing a spectacle; so he remained where he was, carefully watching the two of them as they moved across the room.

The longer they danced, the more closed off the Princess's expression became, leaving him to wonder just what the Prince was saying to her. Though he tried to listen in, (he had a good reason!) the music and the dull roar of the crowd combined with the distance between them prevented him from hearing anything. He huffed in irritation, and glanced at Nemi, who looked concerned. He also noted that Nakoh was silently fuming, whereas Aphei didn't seem to know what was going on.

After what felt like hours, the song finally ended, and the Princess curtsied as she thanked the Prince for the dance. But before she could leave, the Prince grabbed her arm, rather forcefully, from what Volga could see.

“Prince Loka, would you kindly explain what this is all about?” the Princess asked, an edge to her tone.

“I must speak with you,” Prince Loka stated, and very loudly at that.

“I would gladly listen to any concerns you may have, but right now I must tend to-”

“You see, Zelda,” the Prince went on, ignoring her statement, “We have known each other since we were children. Even now, I believe that nothing could break the bond we share,” he continued. “And over the years, the distance between our two kingdoms has made me realize just how important you are to me...”

He could see them perfectly now. The Prince stood before her, his expression one of triumph, whereas the Princess looked much paler than usual, and seemed to be at a loss for words. _'I need to get over there...!'_ Volga thought with a growl.

“That is why,” the Prince said, stepping closer to her. “I stand before you now to ask one, simple question...”

“Oh no...” he heard Nemi say quietly.

“Princess Zelda, my dearest friend,” Prince Loka took hold of her hand, placing a light kiss on the back. “Please do me the honor of becoming my bride, so that we may forever unite our souls, and our kingdoms, through holy matrimony!”

Volga could practically hear the sound of jaws falling to openly gape at the scene before them, his own included, though he quickly snapped it shut. With another growl, he began to push through the crowd, a harsh glare set on his face.

 

* * *

 

Zelda was frozen in shock.

Her? Marry him??? Prince Loka, of all people?!?!

It didn't matter what her father or King Ezu wanted, it was impossible! Being bound to someone like him for the rest of her life was downright unthinkable! She would rather live her life protecting her people and die alone than bind herself to Prince Loka, who would no doubt expect her to sit aside and let him make all the decisions for both of their kingdoms.

_'I cannot possibly accept!'_ she thought, feeling outraged. But as she glanced at the people surrounding them, her people, and she suddenly felt fear and dread replace her previous ire.

In a few days' time, Hyrule would officially be at war; and there was no telling how long that war would last. Even if they managed to defeat their adversary, her people could very well suffer for years to come. If she married the Prince, that would guarantee a stronger army as well as access to herbs and materials that couldn't be found within Hyrule's borders. And to refuse him outright would be an insult, and most likely result in a strained relationship between their kingdoms.

_'Oh goddesses, how on earth can I refuse, knowing all of this?'_ she thought. Why on earth had she been placed in this situation?

She noticed that some of the crowd looked hopeful, others were unsure, while the rest were still shocked from the proposal. She honestly felt as if she could laugh, but that brief moment of amusement vanished when her gaze returned to the Prince.

Though his smile probably seemed loving to everyone else, being as close as she was to him revealed the arrogance and ego behind it. His eyes glinted with challenge, daring her to refuse him in front of everyone, and face the consequences from all sides. Upon seeing this for herself, realization dawned on her.

He had planned this.

Unbridled fury rose from within. How dare he do this to her! No matter how much she disliked him, she had never once tried to subdue him on such a level!

But before she did something idiotic, she forced herself to take a few deep breaths. She was a Princess. Someone that people looked up to and depended on. She could not lose her temper in front of her guests, and bring shame to her Father, who had taught her to always maintain dignity and respect, both for herself and for others.

When she had finally calmed herself enough, she looked Prince Loka straight in the eye as she prepared her answer.

“Prince Loka!” she heard someone hiss.

Zelda looked over to see King Ezu stalking toward them, his thunderous expression directed at his son. When he got close enough, he quickly pushed the Prince behind him and bowed deeply to her.

“I beg you, your Highness, please forgive my son's rude behavior. He has been eager to ask for your hand since we arrived, and he simply grew impatient,” he pleaded with her, keeping his gaze to the floor.

She blinked, and cleared her throat. “Of course, King Ezu. I understand perfectly well; so you needn't worry, I'm not offended,” she replied.

The King sighed deeply in relief as he straightened. “Thank you, your Highness, I am very grateful!” he said quickly.

Zelda nodded. “All I ask is that you give me some time. For something like this, careful consideration is needed, and I wish to fully think things through before I make my decision,” she said simply, making sure to keep a calm countenance.

“Of course, your Highness! We wouldn't want you to feel pressured to give an immediate answer, so please take as much time as you need,” King Ezu replied, trying not to sound panicked.

“Thank you. Now that that's settled, please go and enjoy yourselves. The night is still young!” she said cheerily, playfully shooing him away.

The King gave one last grateful smile, then grabbed Prince Loka's shoulder to forcefully steer him towards a hallway.

She kept her smile in place until everyone had calmed down and returned to normal, knowing that some of them were probably going to gossip about Prince Loka's proposal with whoever would listen. She wanted to stay and keep an eye on things; but the full weight of what had just taken place, and what exactly it meant, slowly settled on her shoulders and made her realize just how exhausted she felt.

Before she did anything else, she just wanted a moment to process the situation she had just been trapped in. So, when she was sure no one would immediately notice her absence, she snuck into the nearest hallway and headed for the kitchen, where Impa was probably already waiting for her.

 

* * *

 

He hadn't gotten there in time.

Volga stood rigidly as the crowd dispersed, his irritation plainly visible to any who paid attention. The Prince's audacity baffled him. He had never seen so much arrogance and ego in one person, and he wondered how anyone could tolerate the young man. He certainly wouldn't have put up with it.

But as much as he loathed it, the fact remained that there was nothing he could do about it now. He just hoped that the Prince wouldn't be staying much longer.

“Volga...?”

At the sound of his name, he turned to find Nemi looking at him, her expression concerned. He also saw that Nakoh looked upset, while Aphei seemed a little worried. “Did you see where she went?” he asked.

Nemi didn't seem bothered by it when she nodded. “She left through that hallway,” she replied, pointing to it. “We'll wait here for a little while. I doubt she'll want all of us crowding her right now.”

“Thank you,” Volga replied, before quickly making his way to the hallway she had indicated and briskly walking through. Once he reached the second hall, he listened intently, and faintly heard her voice coming from his right. Turning that way, he started picking up more of what she was saying, and he soon realized that he was nearing the kitchen.

“Oh Impa, what am I going to do?” he heard her ask, her voice revealing her exhaustion.

“Don't worry, Princess. You don't have to accept. Just give it some time and politely decline,” came the Captain's voice.

“But I can't! We're about to go to war, I can't just refuse him when we're going to need their help!” the Princess replied, slightly distressed.

“Then wait until the war's over.”

“Yes, but how long will that take? It could take years to rebuild everything we might lose, and we could end up broke because of it. I don't want my people to suffer any longer than can be helped.”

Volga finally reached the kitchen entrance and saw the Princess sitting at the small wooden table, her face in her hands as Impa sat across from her. The Captain briefly looked at him when he came into view, then returned her gaze to the Princess.

“It's a big decision to make, there's no denying that. But no one's asking you to decide right now. Besides, we have other things to worry about at the moment,” Impa said, standing up and moving around the table to place a hand on the young woman's shoulder. “Take some time to recollect yourself. I'll look after the guests until you're ready.”

After receiving a nod in reply, Impa walked towards where he stood, giving him an accusatory glare as she passed him, which he returned with a frown of his own. Once she disappeared down the hall, he slowly walked to the table and claimed the chair the Captain had just vacated. Hearing him, the Princess looked up and offered a tired smile when she saw him.

“Pretty interesting for your first ball, huh?” she asked, shaking her head.

“It was... unexpected...” he replied, unsure of there being any better way to word it.

“For you and me both,” she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

He watched her for a moment, then sighed as well. “I apologize. I should have stayed closer.”

“Oh, you've nothing to be sorry for. I sent you off, so I'm the only one to blame. Even if I hadn't, he would've found me at some point,” she shrugged lightly.

Well, she had him there.

“Still, he should've waited,” Volga grumbled. _'Preferably for the rest of his life,'_ he added in his thoughts.

He noticed that the Princess's expression darkened then, which seemed rather odd. “Are you alright?” he asked carefully.

Her attention snapped back to him, and she shook her head. “It's nothing. I'll be fine,” she replied, then stood. “We should probably go back now.”

Though he was unconvinced, he nodded regardless and stood up as well. “You're right. They'll notice before long,” he agreed, and together they walked back to the ballroom.

Glancing over, Volga could see that the Princess was reluctant to return. Though she kept her head up and her stance confident, the look in her eyes belied her worry. For both of their sakes, he truly hoped that the Prince had retired for the night, but he was doubtful that fate would be so kind. Either way, he had no intention of failing again; and as they neared the end of the hall that would take them back into the public's eye, he stopped and turned to look at her.

“Ready?” he asked.

Standing beside him, she gave him the best smile she could muster. “As I'll ever be.”

After a moment, he nodded and held out his arm, which she accepted gratefully, and led her back into the ballroom. As he felt the stares and heard the curious whispers, he kept a careful eye on the people closest to them, while also keeping watch for Prince Loka.

_'I truly hope that the rest of this night will pass quickly, and without any further incident,'_ he thought in exasperation, suddenly realizing how tired he was.

The loud, annoying laughter that had plagued the entire evening, rang through the air once again, causing the Dragon Knight to grit his teeth.

_'For both of our sakes.'_

 

* * *

 

Hours later, after all of the guests had finally left, Zelda tried not to drag her feet as she helped the others clean up before they all retired for the night. She had decided that the banners and ribbons could be left for the next day. And though she was determined to finish the job, it wasn't long before Impa approached her.

“Princess, why don't you leave the rest to us? I can tell you're tired,” the Captain stated.

Zelda shook her head. “I can manage until we're finished.”

Impa gave her a stern look. “I appreciate your dedication, your Highness, but you need to rest. You can't lead a kingdom when you're falling asleep,” she said plainly.

“Alright,” Zelda sighed, “But I'm going to take these last few glasses,” she added.

“Very well. But please, get some sleep after that,” Impa replied.

“I will,” the Princess smiled in reassurance. The Captain nodded, then turned to continue her work, leaving the young woman to do as she planned.

She began walking around, picking up the empty wine glasses one by one and carefully nestling them in her arm to get as many as she could, Zelda felt her exhaustion catching up with her. What a night it had been. Dancing, mingling, negotiating, all followed by a public marriage proposal.

She couldn't help but grimace. How had everything taken such a horrible turn in less than five minutes? Of all the things that could've happened, it had to be the one thing she dreaded most. She had always known that King Ezu saw her as family, just as she saw him; but she had never suspected that Prince Loka would ask for her hand, though in hindsight, she should have.

_'Thankfully, I managed to stay calm. I came far too close to losing my composure...'_ she thought.

As she stopped and searched the room, she spotted a few more glasses sitting by one of the windows. Deciding she could hold more, she walked over and reached out to start picking them up. But before she could get the first one, a hand quickly grabbed it from her reach.

“I can take them.”

She turned with a raised brow to find Volga at her side, picking up the other glasses before she could respond. As soon as he had them all, he turned to face her.

“Lead the way,” he said, calmly watching her.

Zelda nodded, and led him into one of the hallways, heading for the washroom. With both of them feeling worn out and getting lost in their thoughts, they walked in comfortable silence. Soon enough they reached their destination, leaving the glasses to be cleaned and walking back out into the hall.

“So, how was your first ball?” Zelda asked him.

“A little chaotic, but not entirely unpleasant. Though, you probably wouldn't agree, would you?” he stated more than asked.

“Hmm, not exactly. But, regardless of... certain things, I still found it enjoyable,” she answered.

“Good. As long as he didn't ruin the evening for you,” Volga replied.

“Not at all. I wanted to ruin it for him, though,” she admitted.

“Had you tried to, I would've been happy to help,” he replied with a chuckle, before giving her a slight frown. “Shall I find someone to take you to your room? You look like you might fall asleep where you stand,” he said carefully.

She hadn't realized it, but she did feel slightly off balance. “I feel like I could. It's been a very long day,” she replied, then gave him a small smile. “Thank you for offering, but I'll be fine.”

He gave her a skeptical look, but nodded. “If you're sure.”

“I am,” she nodded, then remembered she owed him her gratitude. “Thank you for being my escort. I am indebted to you.”

He looked back at her with wide eyes. “Indebted? No, I don't think I did a very good job to begin with. You don't owe me anything.”

Zelda frowned slightly. “Nonsense. You did everything requested of you, no matter what the turn of events were.”

Volga shook his head. “I have no need for a reward, Milday, your gratitude is enough,” he stated, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The Princess sighed, but smiled nonetheless. “I will leave the subject for now, but I fully intend to repay you. So when you think of something, let me know,” she told him.

He slightly balked. “Milady, I assure you that isn't necessary,” he replied.

“I insist,” she smiled, silently daring him to argue with her further.

Volga frowned, but seemed to relent. “Very well...” he conceded.

“Good,” she beamed. “Now then, please forgive me, but I'm afraid I will fall asleep at any moment, so I think I will retire for the night,” she added with a curtsy.

The Dragon Knight nodded with a bow. “Of course. I believe I shall do the same.”

“I understand,” she replied. “Goodnight, Volga.” she said, beginning to walk away.

“Goodnight, Milday,” she heard him reply.

As they went their separate ways, Zelda could've sworn she heard the Dragon Knight mumble something about 'stubborn Princesses' as his footsteps slowly faded behind her. She laughed quietly to herself with a small shake of her head. She was honestly glad that he had become mostly comfortable around her and the others during his time at the castle, considering that he had seemed a little odd when she first met him. Though he had been formal he had looked indifferent, and somewhat unapproachable, with a blank expression that almost looked like a scowl; and it didn't take her long to notice that his entire being exuded strength and power. However, there had also been a strange sense of uneasiness about him.

But as they got to know each other a little better, she realized that his stiffness was a result of his profession. He was a knight through and through; with a sense of pride and confidence in his own abilities, that only a devoted warrior could possess. And on top of that, he was more of a gentleman than most of those found in the upper class.

Despite this, she had been unprepared for the effect his presence had on people, Prince Loka especially. Never had she seen the young man so intimidated by one person that he lost all color and apologized for his behavior; even if it was insincere. She noticed that some of her soldiers were also wary of the Dragon Knight, and they had been trained by Impa herself. Speaking of which, the Captain, along with Yeto, Yeta, and herself, seemed to be the only ones that were unafraid of him, though Mira had made good progress in that regard.

The Princess nearly yawned as she finally reached her room, trying not to drag her feet as she walked inside. Normally, she would spend a few minutes on her balcony to enjoy whatever peace and quiet she was allowed, but she decided against it for tonight. Instead, she changed into her night gown and finally settled into bed.

She thought of everything that had happened that day, and once again found herself thinking about Prince Loka's proposal. She wanted so badly to refuse, to make her outrage known and tell him exactly what she thought of him. But she knew that she couldn't do so.

She sighed in frustration. Her father's passing, war, marriage; there were so many things to deal with, and she had no idea where to start. For whatever reason, it seemed that fate hated her at the moment. She wished she could ask her father's advice. He would know how to help both her and the kingdom out of this mess.

But, she was on her own this time.

She took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly, feeling her eyelids droop. It had been a long day, and she was beginning to drift off. She sat up for a moment to blow out the candle on her nightstand, then laid back down and closed her eyes, slowly relaxing until she was almost asleep.

_'Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day...'_


	7. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we have it~ Chapter 7 probably won't be up for awhile, but I do think it's getting close to being done. I hope you've enjoyed the story so far though, and I hope it makes a little more sense since I made a few minor changes.

Light slowly stretched across the land as the morning sun peered over the horizon, forcing the shadows of night to withdraw from their resting place within the dense copper forests of Hyrule. For a few brief moments, everything was still and lifeless; even the wind was absent as the world woke from its slumber.

Dawn was the time of day he loved most.

Back home, it was a time when he could enjoy a few moments of solitude; and with a Clan as big as his own, Volga appreciated every moment of peace and quiet he could get.

Which he would be doing now, if it weren't for the sound of marching feet and thundering hooves. Walking alongside the infantry, he watched as the second group of knights marched ahead of them, led by Link. Ahead of that was the first group, led by the Princess and her black steed, the same one that tried to take a bite out of him whenever he came near....

It had only been a few hours since they left Hyrule Castle and began their march with the Hyrulean and Lanayruan armies, King Ezu having sent orders back to his kingdom a day prior. Not much had been said about where they were headed, but he did know that over the next few weeks, the Eldinian, Faronian and Ordonian armies would join them at the earliest possible time. As for the Goron and Zora tribes, he had heard that they should be meeting them fairly soon.

Behind him and the troops he had been assigned to was an infantry group of Lanayruan knights, accompanied by King Ezu and Prince Loka. While he wasn't exactly pleased with this arrangement, the Prince had been almost completely silent for the entirety of the trip. He was surprised that the young man hadn't tried to move to the Princess's side at all, but Volga knew that it wasn't for the lack of desire to. He had looked back a few times and seen the King taking in their surroundings, while the Prince's gaze was intently focused ahead of them.

The Dragon Knight grumbled to himself. While he couldn't see the Princess from his own position, he had no doubt that the Prince could see her perfectly; yet another arrangement he didn't like. Though she wasn't terrified of him, Volga knew that Prince Loka's presence worried her to no end, and it annoyed him that the young man seemed to hold no shame from his actions on the night of the ball. But he was able to find some contentment in the fact that the Princess was with Impa, and that he himself was close enough to keep an eye on the nuisance.

What he was most concerned about, though, was how distracted the Princess had seemed. He could understand why, considering everything that had happened recently; but he was afraid she might lose focus of their objective if she wasn't careful. Of course, it was probably for naught; he knew she was a level-headed individual. She had to be, if she wanted to lead her kingdom well. Perhaps he was just being too pessimistic...

It was difficult not to be though. He hadn't felt Cia's grip for a while, and it left him disconcerted. It was almost as if she had never placed him under a spell, and he knew that it couldn't be a good thing. What made it worse was that he had no way of doing any more research on the subject, unless they came across a town, or he asked someone about it. He wasn't too keen on the latter.

He growled slightly. He wanted to continue his research, but for now all he could do was lend his strength to Hyrule. At least, for as long as he was able to...

“YOUR HIGHNESS!”

At the shout Volga had turned to see what was going on just as a large horse galloped past him, and he was able to catch a glimpse of a Guardsman's uniform. Within a few minutes the entire convoy came to a halt, and murmurs rose from the soldiers. Frowning, he carefully concentrated on his hearing, and finally pinpointed the Princess's voice.

_“What's going on? I thought you had stayed at the castle?”_ she said, confusion and a hint of worry in her voice.

_“Your Highness! I-!”_

**_BOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!_ **

The squeals of startled horses arose all around them, with their riders doing their best to calm them as the infantry knights took defensive stances and carefully watched their surroundings. Volga was sure the sound had originated from behind them, but he didn't have much time to think about it. Hearing surprised shouts coming from the back of the convoy, he looked over to see what seemed to be a line of ancient writing, glowing with a pinkish-purple hue, traveling across the ground with incredible speed, a wall of black fog behind it. Shouts of surprise rang out among the troops, some of them raising their arms and shields as the border of the fog drew near.

Volga raised an arm, shutting his eyes and trying to shield himself as the dark clouds rapidly flew past them, the gusts of wind that followed strong enough to force the knights back, while Volga was able to withstand it somewhat, only moving a few inches. Thankfully, it was over as quickly as it had begun; and after a quick glance around, all of them sighed in relief upon learning that everyone seemed to be alright.

_“What was that?!”_ the Princess suddenly shouted, causing him to refocus his hearing.

_“It was the enemy's magic!”_ the Guardsman replied.

_“But how?!”_

_“That's why I'm here! They waited until the army was gone, and summoned monsters of all kinds to attack Hyrule Castle! We were defenseless!”_

_“And the townsfolk!?”_

_“We managed to evacuate most of them, including castle staff; but there were casualties...”_

_“Goddesses, we can't just leave them! We have to turn back immediately!”_ she exclaimed.

_“I will gather some troops right away, your Highness; but I must request that you stay with the convoy!”_ Impa told her as she tried to calm her own mount.

_“Surely you aren't asking me to turn my back on this?!”_ the Princess asked in astonishment.

_“I'm asking you to stay out of harm's way,”_ the Captain replied. _“You are the sole heir to the throne, and I need not remind you of how important it is that you arrive safely at the rendezvous site.”_

_“Yes but-!”_

_“Please, your Highness! You must meet with the others and decide our next course of action! I'll handle the rest!”_

Volga understood the Princess's desire to go back and fight, but the Captain's concerns weren't to be ignored. Reminding himself to stay alert, he listened carefully, wondering how the Princess would respond.

_“Shouldn't you at least take Link or Volga with you?”_ the Princess suggested, though her reluctance to stay was clear.

_“No, Link is needed here. As for the Dragon Knight...”_

He snorted...

_“... he will take my place as your bodyguard while I'm gone.”_

... only for his irritation to turn into surprise.

_“Really?”_ the Princess seemed surprised as well.

_“Don't give me that look. I don't trust that man as far as I can throw him. But I can't leave you without personal protection; and being as noble as he is, Link will choose the other soldiers' lives over his responsibilities. It's a very admirable trait, but I can't be sure that he will put your safety over theirs,”_ Impa explained.

_“But you believe Volga_ _will?”_

_“Yes. He is a Knight. By assigning him to you, I can rest assured that your life will take priority over all else.”_

Volga swore under his breath. He hadn't expected to be given the position so soon, but looking back he realized that he should have taken their circumstances into account. He would have to consider asking about magic after all, as he doubted he would have any other means of finding the information anytime soon. It would definitely be riskier if the others knew he was trying to learn more about the subject; but hopefully most of them would assume it was a pastime of his, or somehow related to his elemental abilities that they would no doubt discover in due time.

_“Then I will respect your wishes and remain with the convoy. But if I don't hear from you soon, I will not hesitate to turn back!”_ the Princess stated.

The Captain sighed. _“Understood, your Highness. That will suffice. I'll contact you as soon as I'm able.”_

_“Good. Now go, we can't afford to lose any more time!”_ the Princess commanded.

Volga heard the hoof beats of what he assumed was Impa's horse as she rode off to gather the men she needed while the Princess began giving orders to the other knights nearby. He tried to figure out what she was saying, but her voice was drowned out by the Captain's shouting and the shuffling of feet as some of the knights prepared to return to the castle.

Giving up, he watched the knights ahead of them begin to move as the news of Castle Town's impending destruction quickly traveled. What had started out as an organized march turned into utter chaos as men ran left and right, grabbing weapons and treatment supplies for the wounded they were bound to find, though he could tell that some of them were still shaken by the strange event. Soon enough, King Ezu's army fell into disarray, some of his men volunteering to go back with the others. He was wondering if he should try to go with them, and possibly escape the task he was about receive; but even if he did, he would be heading straight for battle. It wouldn't exactly be the best time to dig through whatever remained of Castle Town for books or scrolls either. The convoy was bound to stop near a village or town at some point, so it would be better if he took on the job and remained with the Princess.

Suddenly, the sound of hooves skidding across earth filled his ears, and he looked up to see the Sheikah Captain glaring at him from the back of her restless mount.

“Listen up, Dragon Knight!” she began sharply. “I'm going to lead a rescue team back to the castle for survivors. I don't know when or if we'll make it back, so I want you to take my place as Princess Zelda's bodyguard.”

“You aren't going to ask Link?” he inquired. Yes, he knew the answer; but she didn't know that.

“It's true that his combat skills are extraordinary, but I don't think he'd be willing to accept the position's requirements. You, on the other hand, are no stranger to such things, correct?”

He nodded, feeling resigned. “Very well. I'll keep an eye on her.”

Impa returned the nod while leveling a narrowed gaze on him. “I trust that you already know the importance of this task, but just in case it isn't clear...” her glare hardened. “You are to protect her at all costs, and always remain at her side, no exceptions. She must meet with the other leaders so we can end the war as quickly as possible. If I return to find that something has happened to her, whether you take her to some deserted castle...”

Did he _look_ like a fairy-tale Dragon that kidnapped Princesses? They didn't have time for this!

“... or strike her down where she stands...”

Right, because everyone could tell he was some war mongering brute who would lose his mind at any given... Goddesses...

“... you will learn the wrath of the Sheikah,” she hissed. “Understood?”

“Understood,” he replied, trying not to grit his teeth as he felt his previous irritation return.

“Good,” Impa said, turning her horse around. “I leave her care to you! Though I will advise you to be extremely cautious for a while. They launched their attack on Castle Town within a few hours of our departure. I wouldn't be surprised if they're already planning an assassination attempt-”

_Shooomp_

“GET BACK!”

At his shout, every nearby soldier leaped away from the area; whereas Impa had leaned back in the saddle, watching as an arrow that had been aimed for her head flew past, just inches from her face, only to embed itself into the first tree in its path with a dull thunk. As she regained control of her steed, Volga quickly lowered into a defensive stance, the other knights following suit.

“WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!” Impa yelled, quickly urging her horse forward to return to the Princess's side. “READY YOUR WEAPONS! PROTECT THE PRINCESS!”

The forest around them seemed to come alive as the sounds of rustling bushes and crunching leaves rose from every direction, followed by the screeching and growling of the same beasts that had stormed the Eldin Caves. The Dragon Knight flicked his gaze back and forth, a low growl rising from his chest as his grip tightened around his spear, eagerly waiting to avenge his Clan. Puppet or not, he would deal as much damage as he could to Cia's forces while he had the chance.

**“GRAAAAAARGH!”**

“Here they come!” King Ezu shouted.

The first wave of beasts flooded into the clearing from all sides, wielding thick blades that resembled butcher's knives. With an uproar of battle cries, the Hyrulean and Lanayruan knights rushed forward to meet the enemy head on. Metal clashed as weapons met, and Volga only hesitated a moment before he ran far enough ahead to swing his spear in wide arcs, without risk of injuring his allies.

One after another they charged at him, and he struck back with expert precision, quickly learning that it didn't take much to defeat them. But what they lacked in resilience they compensated for in sheer numbers. He swung left and right, never pausing long enough to let them get too close; but no matter how many he defeated, more would take their place. He noticed that the others were having difficulty as well.

“We have to push them back!”

“There's too many of them! We'll be overrun!”

Volga knew that the knights were right. Though they had downed many, there was no way they could survive if they didn't attack a larger group of them all at once. He could think of only one way to achieve this.

_**'Hmph. Looks like you're going to get chased off much sooner than you expected.'** _

And of course, the Dragon blood reared its snarling head. Really bad timing.

_'Now is not the time. You have to thin them out soon, or you're all done for.'_

_**'Ha. Now the humans will get a glimpse of what you're really made of.'** _

_'Please forget the superiority complex for the time being!'_

He growled to himself, something that was becoming rather frequent as of late. It seemed he had no choice but to reveal another of his abilities, one more thing he had hoped to put off.

He really should've taken the time to think this through more carefully.

“All of you, stand aside!” he shouted. Unable to see any better options, he jumped back to distance himself from the enemy. The knights didn't hesitate, and scrambled away to give him a wide berth. Satisfied that the area ahead was cleared, he quickly began to inhale as much air as his lungs could hold.

Heat rose from his chest, the warmth spreading throughout his body as he eyed the monsters before him. They paused, moving slowly from side to side, puzzled by the sudden withdrawal of his weapon. Immediately, he leaned forward, releasing a breath of fire in a wide arc, a chorus of screeches and howls erupting from the burned victims. Then he straightened and took a single step back, temporarily transforming his right hand into a clawed talon, slashing upwards and creating three sharp gusts of wind that tore through the ground and shot towards the enemy, stirring up dust and rocks as it knocked the beasts back.

As another wave of them approached, he charged forward once more, slashing at them with his spear in quick, successive strikes, occasionally releasing streams of fire to stun them. He had expected the humans to steer clear of him; but instead his actions were met with another battle cry as the knights rallied behind him, launching themselves into the fray at his side. Some of them did keep their distance, though.

Volga felt a sense of satisfaction. There on the battlefield, he was in his element, striking down his foes and crushing their ranks. Training with the Hyrulean Knights helped him brush up on his basics, but it was never enough. Then, he had to restrain himself, or else he could've seriously injured them, even though they were excellent combatants. But now, he could fight to his full potential, without having to worry about the others as long as he ensured that he had plenty of room.

He noticed with some relief that the enemy's numbers were thinning. Which meant that, hopefully, the battle would be over soon. He could hear Link's shouts as he battled elsewhere, and looked over to see Impa fighting as well, having dismounted to draw her blade and make quick work of the beasts with its water-based enchantments. It had thrown him off at first that the Captain could wield a weapon that was twice her size and likely double her own weight; but she did seem like the type to prefer a hard-hitting, brutal style of combat.

Never too far from the Sheikah, the Princess was also on foot, slicing in all directions with the rapier he had seen her using before. Each strike was done with more finesse than the last; and from the quick glances he was able to take, he could see that her footwork wasn't bad. Since both she and her weapon of choice were lighter, she moved much quicker than Impa, and struck with more precision. He would have to spar with her sometime, and test her skills for himself.

However, he would have to think about that later. Though their numbers had dwindled, he was certain that a few of those remaining would try to sneak off and call for reinforcements. As he knocked back another grunt, he looked around just in time to see one such grunt slinking back from the battle. He was about to go after it, but before he could make the first move, he heard someone loose an arrow, and soon saw it fly through the air, until it finally fell, piercing through the beast and ending its retreat.

A final growl rang out as the last of them collapsed, with sighs of relief following its demise. Volga straightened, checking their surroundings before sighing himself. He noticed that many of the knights were winded, and he couldn't really blame them. He hadn't expected to face so many of them at once, especially since they had appeared out of nowhere. But he remembered the panicked Guardsman's words when the black shroud had passed them. Perhaps these monsters had infinite numbers. But if they could only be summoned through magic, then their numbers depended entirely on the summoner's strength and proficiency. He knew firsthand that Cia was more than likely strong enough to bring forth much larger, tougher minions to do her bidding.

If that was the case, the horde they had just faced was barely a fraction of what was to come.

He frowned as two sets of hoof beats rang in his ears, heralding the approach of King Ezu and his son, while Impa and the Princess walked towards them, with Link not far behind, keeping an eye out in case more of the beasts came. The knights began to surround them, their full attention on the three royals as they waited for further orders. Volga followed suit, glancing around as he neared the edge of the forming crowd as many others were, waiting for another attack.

“Is everyone alright?!” the Princess called out, rapidly looking around for anyone who might be wounded.

“Your Highness,” one of the knights stepped forward. “Many of our soldiers have sustained injuries, most of them minor. But there are a few who will need more serious treatment,” he explained.

“How serious, exactly?” she asked, her concern clear.

“They'll be fine for now. However, if we don't get them treated soon, they could become infected and leave them with permanent damage at best, if it doesn't turn fatal.”

“I see,” she nodded. “If that's the case, get them cleaned up as best you can, and have them ready to move. There's no doubt that we're dealing with summoners, so we can't afford to stay here any longer than necessary,” she replied.

“Of course, your Highness,” the man answered before scurrying away.

The Princess then turned to her trusted bodyguard. “Impa, I want you to return home for the survivors as we discussed earlier. We'll continue on to the Ordona province,” she gave the Captain a serious look. “Meet us there. We should be able to make decent living arrangements for anyone that comes back with you. But if possible, I suggest you stay away from the main roads and find another way to the border,” she said, a thoughtful frown crossing her face.

“Are you sure that is wise, your Highness? If they cut through the woods or mountains, it will lead them through treacherous terrain,” King Ezu noted with uncertainty. Prince Loka sat atop his own mount beside him, looking unconcerned.

“There's no way they wouldn't recognize a group of humans. We're a completely different species. It would be impossible for us to blend in with them. We'll just have to find the safest alternative,” Impa stated, then whistled for her mount. “And we don't have the time to argue about it any further. We've wasted enough already,” she added sharply. When her horse neared, she walked toward it and quickly mounted, then called out for any who would join her. After a group of mounted knights gathered around her, she looked back at them.

“I'll send word once we've reached a safe location. And forgive my bluntness, but, your Highness?” a look of exasperation crossed her features. “For the love of the goddesses, please, don't do anything reckless while I'm gone.”

“Come now, you know I don't make promises I might not be able to keep,” the Princess replied with a bright smile.

“I figured as much...” the Captain sighed, then turned to the gathered troops. “Alright then, let's go.”

“Good luck, Impa,” the Princess said, the lighthearted look now gone.

The Captain nodded in reply, then urged her horse onward, the volunteers following suit. Soon enough, they became mere dots in the distance; and Volga honestly hoped that they would be able to bring the survivors back safely.

The Princess turned back to him and the Lanayruan royals with a firm look. “We should get moving. King Ezu, have any of your men suffered serious injury?”

“No. Everyone seems to have made it out mostly unscathed,” the King replied.

“Excellent. In that case, we should double our pace. Hopefully we'll be well away from here by nightfall. If you find that someone might be injured to the point of falling behind, inform me immediately and I'll make the necessary adjustments for them to travel as comfortably as we can manage,” she told the man carefully. The King nodded as he turned his horse around, heading back to where his men had gathered to get them reorganized.

The Princess had begun to walk away in order to help her own knights do the same, and Volga had intended to follow her as his newest position demanded, but both of them stopped when a certain, unwanted presence reminded them of its existence.

“Just a moment, Zelda.”

Volga scowled, and noticed that said woman held a look of great irritation for a brief moment, before she schooled her expression and looked back to the Prince.

“Yes?” she inquired with an even tone.

“If we won't be seeing Impa for a while, that will leave you unprotected for an indefinite amount of time. In her absence, I'm the most qualified to fulfill this role until she returns. And I believe it will be the perfect opportunity for us to discuss more... private... matters,” the young man said, a poorly hidden smirk on his lips.

The Princess's eye narrowed imperceptibly. “Thank you for the offer, Prince Loka; but Impa has already chosen someone to take her place,” she replied, then practically turned on her heel to return to her original task, stopping for a moment to look at the Dragon Knight. “I assume she informed you of your responsibilities?” she asked with a raised brow.

“Yes, Milady,” Volga nodded, briefly noticing the Prince's deepening frown.

The Princess smiled. “Very good. Now that that's settled, let's go help the others,” she said, then glanced back at the Prince. “You should do the same, Prince Loka. We don't know what might be trailing behind us, and I'm not too eager to find out,” she said plainly, beginning to walk away once more.

Volga made his way towards the young woman, and fell into step beside her. He rather enjoyed watching the Prince seethe in anger as he passed. The brat deserved it after acting like an impudent child. He better understood what the Princess had been talking about before, when he learned of her dismay toward immature Kings. It was almost unbearable to be near the Lanayruan Prince, though he had barely spoken a word. He honestly didn't know how King Ezu could be so blind to the boy's personality, having raised him. Even as he and the Princess walked away, the Dragon Knight could feel the harsh glare he was being given.

“My apologies. Prince Loka isn't one for subtlety, as you've no doubt learned by now. Nor have I learned the best way to respond to him,” the Princess said, once they were far enough away from the Prince.

“No need. If anything, he should be apologizing to you,” he shook his head. “I know you said before that you couldn't confront him about his behavior, and forgive me if I'm being too invasive, but why not take him to the side and then tell him directly?” Volga asked, briefly glancing at her.

She sighed. “I would, but it's exactly as I said before. To insult one, is to insult them all. I would rather endure Prince Loka's presence than lose King Ezu's friendship,” she replied.

“Then you're far more patient than I,” he said with a small chuckle.

She smiled with a light laugh of her own. “To be honest, I'm actually quite good at drowning him out.”

“Well, that's one advantage, at least,” he shrugged.

The Princess smiled for a moment, before getting serious again. “All jesting aside, I hope he'll change his focus from me to the task at hand. I don't have any desire to deal with his womanizing when there are much more important things to worry about,” she stated, lightly shaking her head.

“He'll have to, eventually. Today's first battle may have been short lived and without any casualties, but he'd be a fool to think that this was the extent of their power,” Volga replied with a huff.

The Princess was quiet for a moment, before she hesitantly spoke. “How strong do you think they are?” she asked with a worried look.

Considering her question for a moment, he wondered how he could give her the answer she needed without revealing too much about how he came to know it. _'Hm. I'll have to keep it vague,'_ he mused to himself as he looked at her, carefully forming a response. “It's hard to determine this early on, but... I doubt they would be attacking your kingdom if they didn't think they could conquer it. Those monsters may not have been very strong, but there were plenty of them to wear us down over time. However, I don't think that this was a serious battle. They were far too easy to defeat,” he said thoughtfully.

“Agreed. I didn't have to take them seriously at all,” she replied, then lit up. “Didn't they look familiar to you? The beasts?” she asked suddenly.

He was puzzled by the question. “Familiar?” he echoed. “Well, I didn't really pay any mind to what they looked like,” he said, trying to recall any specific details he may have missed upon first glance.

“The red color, the crude swords... they seemed reminiscent of the Moblins from the Sky Era.”

The Dragon Knight blinked for a moment, then gave her a doubtful glance. “I can see your point, but they aren't exactly a common sight anymore. We're talking about a species that, as far as we know, only existed in a time that took place eons ago. But perhaps they're a subspecies that branched from that line,” he replied, a thoughtful frown on his face.

“That makes the most sense,” she nodded in agreement. “The only person who has ever been able to freely move to and from his past and future was the Hero of Time, but he was only able to achieve this with the help of a magical item, which has long since been lost to the ages,” she added,then shook her head. “I don't like this sort of guessing game.”

“Nor do I, but it can't be helped,” he replied as he glanced at her again, deciding to change the subject. “So, I take it that part of my job will be to keep watch overnight?” he questioned nonchalantly.

“Not all night,” she answered with a smile. “But you will have to sleep nearby. That is, if you don't want Impa to wring your neck over it. Really though, it's alright if you'd rather not take the job. I can handle myself well enough.”

He was tempted to accept her offer, as he was wary of what the future had in store for him. But if he declined, that would force her to find someone else, which would most likely end up being the Prince, and he honestly didn't think he could do that to her. “I have no doubt of that, Milady, but I can't in good conscience leave you under Prince Loka's care. Besides, I've already agreed to it,” he stated as they began to help the knights.

“Well, when you put it that way, I believe I've gotten the better result,” she replied with a grin. “I hope you're prepared for it. I'll probably need your help with official business, as well; and that can take a while to complete. But it will give you the opportunity to see what it's like, if you're interested,” she added as knights rushed around them, carrying weapons and medical supplies as they prepared to leave.

“I've lived a good portion of my life in a cave. How could I not be interested?” he asked with a hint of mirth in his voice. “And I'm quite alright with lending a hand if you need me to,” he replied, side-stepping a few knights that darted past him. “Though, I assume the group I was assigned to will join with another?”

“For the most part, yes. But they're still required to follow your orders when circumstances demand so.”

“And if they dislike me enough to ignore my command?”

“Then I will personally insist that they reconsider. But that shouldn't become an issue. From the first day, Impa makes it clear that they need to be able to adapt to any given situation, and will put them through as many different scenarios as she can think of. I don't think you'll have any problems with them,” she replied.

Volga nodded, watching the frantic knights begin to settle down as they were nearly finished with their task. Those with serious injuries would either be placed in a wagon if it had room, or on horseback if it wouldn't be too uncomfortable. He and the Princess carefully checked to make sure everything was in order, asking a knight here and there if anything was missing. Once they were certain that they had what they needed, the Princess whistled for her steed and gave the order to march.

“Alright everyone, let's get moving. It's going to take five days to reach the Ordona province; and the more we wait, the stronger our enemy becomes,” she stated as she mounted. “Stay alert and don't fall behind. From now on we double our pace.”

As the knights scrambled to get back into formation, the Princess turned to him with a thoughtful look. “Volga, do you need a horse? I know you said before that you're not good with animals, but won't it be harder for you to keep up on foot?” she asked.

“Your army has kept up just fine,” he said, giving her a slightly accusatory glance. “Do you doubt that I can do the same?”

The look on her face suggested that she wanted to roll her eyes, but instead she simply replied. “You're my bodyguard now. How can you do your job if you're all the way back there?” she countered, gesturing to the long line of knights.

“Don't worry, I can catch up to you if need be,” he replied dismissively, watching as she nodded in resignation.

“If you're certain,” she acquiesced, then looked towards the knights who stood loyally, waiting for further instruction. “Now, let's move out!”

Taking the lead with a calm countenance, the Princess urged her mount forward, the knights soon following after. Volga was thankful that the battle had been short lived, for he doubted they would be stopping again anytime soon. But he wasn't opposed to that, if it meant that they could get as far away from what would become enemy territory as possible. Normally he would want to stay and fight, but he had no intention of testing the limits of Cia's spell. The least he could do for those who had wished him well was avoid foolishly walking right back into the Sorceress's hands.

He frowned imperceptibly. His original task of escaping Cia's spell would be ten times harder than before, especially now that he was a bodyguard, as she had intended. He would have to be careful not to get too off track with his new position, or else he would be too late.

And that was a disconcerting thought that wouldn't soon leave him.

* * *

 

Though she had kept a blank expression, it did nothing for her stiff spine or trembling hands.

Despite being trained in the ways of combat since she had turned nine, Zelda was still inexperienced on the battlefield. She had never been exposed to life-threatening situations if it could be helped. Her father had made sure of that. She had dealt with thieves before, on the occasions that she'd sneak out of the castle; but they had been relatively harmless. This had been anything but, since she knew well enough that each blow could've been the last she'd ever take. And whatever their strength or level of knowledge, those monsters knew how to land a fatal blow.

As much as she hated to admit it, she had been afraid. She was a young woman of twenty years, with the entire kingdom of Hyrule depending on her to protect it. However, she hadn't been born with her father's fearlessness; and they had already lost Hyrule Castle. From there the destruction would spread to the rest of the kingdom like wildfire, especially since the enemy's forces had managed to reach the castle without anyone's notice.

A long time ago she would have been naive enough to think that nothing could bring Hyrule to its knees, but having too much confidence had been her downfall many times as a child who still had much to learn about grace and humility. Thankfully, she had matured since then; and she now knew better than to let Hyrule's strength and prosperity cloud her judgment. She hoped more than anything that they could pull through as they always had. She wanted to believe that they would, but she knew that the odds of their victory were slowly falling as the enemy grew in power. What worried her the most was the fact that they had never known their adversary's strength to begin with. For all she knew, the one responsible for the attacks was toying with them.

_'Perhaps it's time I considered reconnaissance...'_ she mused. _'But how...?'_

“You seem to be at a loss, Milady. What distracts you so?”

Deza snorted at the Dragon Knight's proximity, and Zelda readied herself to keep the animal in place. But she noted that Volga kept well away from striking distance, while still being close enough to speak with her. She hoped that things wouldn't get too difficult for them, now that every waking moment would be spent in each other's company. They got along well as they were now, but that could easily change if they grew uncomfortable with each other for any reason. The position wasn't known for giving those involved their personal space, after all.

But for now, she didn't have to worry over it, unless the situation arose. “Forgive me, it wasn't my intention to be so absentminded...” she replied. “I'm just a bit weary. For the castle to have fallen so quickly means that the enemy's army is large, along with a great amount of strength; and I fear that we don't have enough knowledge about them to counter that strength properly,” she admitted.

“A reasonable concern,” Volga said. “It would be unwise to pursue them without knowing what we're up against.”

“Indeed, and as of right now, the only means we have of learning about them is combat. I would send out a few scouts like before, but I don't think we can afford to do so at the moment,” she said thoughtfully.

“Then what do you plan to do?” he asked.

“I believe we should bide our time. Once we reach a safer location, we can take the time to consider our options more carefully; but until then we'll need everyone available to remain close by,” she replied.

“That's probably for the best,” he nodded in agreement, then glanced towards her with a wary look.

Seeing this, she raised a brow in question. “What is it?” she asked, somewhat puzzled.

She could see his hesitation, but soon he shook his head and turned to her with an uncertain, but determined expression. “Are you alright? You seem a little shaken...” he said carefully, before a look of realization crossed his face. “Was that your first battle?” he asked.

She sighed, though she was unable to hide a resigned smile. It seemed that she wasn't too good at hiding things. “You've found me out,” she admitted. “To answer your question, no, that wasn't the first time I've battled. But, unfortunately, the fear of it hasn't left me.”

“We're all afraid, Milady. You just have to look past it,” he replied, a hint of his nonchalance returning.

She looked at him, slightly surprised by his response. She hadn't thought he was one to so openly admit something like that, not to mention he had done so without a care in the world as to who heard him. She had to admire that honesty, as she didn't see it as often as she once had.

And he was right. Many of the soldiers were young men who had only recently joined the Hyrulean Army, no doubt terrified of what the future would bring, while others were older and more experienced, but knew that their age would hinder them. Zelda had done her best to help most of their aging knights retire to a comfortable life beyond the Barracks, but some of them either couldn't leave or completely refused to (she had never thought anyone could be more stubborn than her father. Needless to say, she had been proven wrong in that regard.)

Realizing that she wasn't alone in her fears made her feel a little better, though she hated that both the young and old would be putting their lives at risk. Maybe she could find refuge for them in Ordona, and order them to stay, though she wasn't sure that such an order would be followed. She sighed lightly, already feeling tired despite having slept well enough the night before. Walking behind them were thousands of all ages who were prepared to give up their lives for Hyrule's sake, for her sake, yet she wanted nothing more than for all of them to find shelter elsewhere; a place where they would be safe from the harm that would surely befall the Allied Forces. But she knew that there was no hope for victory without them... so she would just have to protect them as well as she could herself.

But it was a comfort to have as many as she did ready to stand at her side.

She looked up to realize that dawn had turned into day, with the sun shining brightly as they were nearing the end of the forest that would then stretch onward into Hyrule Field. After that, there would hardly be anything to use for cover, but that also meant they had better chances of spotting any enemies that had followed them. It wasn't ideal, but they could manage it if they moved fast enough.

“You said it would take five days to reach Ordona, yes?”

He seemed more talkative than usual, but maybe that was just her imagination. She didn't mind it of course, she just found it rather odd since he was a fairly quiet person. But then again, it wasn't all that strange to think that he wanted to know that kind of information, considering the circumstances... “That is correct,” she replied.

“Is that based on reaching the first village, or the border?” he questioned further.

“The border. But once we get there, it'll take a little over half a day to reach the first village. The terrain can be a bit more difficult there, so we'll need to keep a closer eye on everyone; but we shouldn't have any trouble,” she answered, briefly glancing back at the others.

“I see. What about here though?”

Moving her gaze back to him, she found him eyeing the broad sea of gold ahead of them. The face of his reptilian styled helmet hid his eyes from view, but the frown he wore told her he wasn't too keen on being out in the open. Neither was she, but she didn't want to risk taking the longer route. “We'll be able to move quickly, but neither us or the enemy forces will be well hidden. At the very least, the grass is just tall enough to hide in if we spread out and let the horses loose; but the wagons and gear would give us away.”

“Perhaps we should pick up some civilian clothing and gear once we reach Ordona?” he suggested, turning to look at her once more.

“Hm... Perhaps we should,” she agreed. “We could pass as a wandering caravan, if we had the right disguises. But we'd still need to hide our weapons and armor. We don't want to be caught off guard.”

“We could say that we have a few blacksmiths among us, and that they planned to sell their wares once we reached town,” he replied.

“That could work!” Zelda exclaimed lightly, a smile beginning to show. “All we'd have to do is make sure that they all know what they're talking about!”

He smiled lightly in return, but soon frowned again as another thought occurred to him. “On the other hand, we aren't facing a normal army... Would our appearance really matter to the beasts? If they are just mindless beings following a master whose goal is to conquer Hyrule, then aren't we just another presence to eliminate?”

Oh. She hadn't thought of that.

“I suppose not... It's possible that they would spare those who dare not defy them, lest they left behind a kingdom without any subjects. But a caravan full of weapons and blacksmiths would most likely be deemed a threat,” she replied with disappointment.

“And they might execute anyone even claiming to be a blacksmith, if only to make a point,” he added, sounding disappointed as well.

“Yes, there is that...” she nodded. “Well, it was a good idea, regardless; and I am not opposed to hearing any other suggestions you or the soldiers may have,” she told him with approval.

“Thank you, Milady. I'll keep that in mind.”

Maybe it was the way he said it, or maybe she was just feeling a little more optimistic, but somehow she felt that some weight had been lifted from his shoulders, though she wasn't sure how that could be so. But if that was the case, she hoped that weight would leave him be from then on.

As they approached the treeline, Zelda looked towards the open field ahead with careful consideration, wondering if she should stop the convoy. Since they knew the beasts from before had been transported there through summoning magic, she wasn't sure that having the whole convoy carelessly walk out of the forest was a good idea. To make it worse, sending someone to scout the area, be it out in the field or from the edge of the forest, would be futile since there was no way for them to predict when a horde would appear. It seemed that the quickest way through would be to continue on as planned, but with extra caution.

“Stay alert. Summoners won't waste time in sending another horde after us,” she warned, looking for any sudden movement ahead of them.

“Understood,” Volga replied, some of the knights echoing the statement while others nodded.

All was quiet as they began their trek across the field, and as much as Zelda wanted to savor the moment of calm, she didn't want to let her thoughts wander too much, since they would be more vulnerable for awhile. All they had to do was get to the first village unharmed. If they could do that, they could restock anything they needed to and be on their way without causing too much of a fuss, if possible. She doubted that news of their passing through would stay hidden for long, but she hoped that things would go smoothly beyond that point.

She also wondered when the Goron and Zora tribes would turn up. She had thought they would have joined her already, but perhaps they too had run into trouble and moved on, or maybe they had been delayed for some other reason. Either way, it seemed she would have to wait and see if a messenger hawk came, or if they managed to run into each other somewhere. If they had gone on ahead, they would probably be waiting for the convoy in town, near a water source. The Zoras didn't fare as well on land, but not so much so as to seriously hinder them, and she knew that it was a golden rule for them to always have water on hand. The Gorons hardly ever had to worry about such things, and could survive without water for months on end, though they would need some eventually. She probably didn't need to worry too much, however, as both tribes were very resilient, and with no shortage of combat knowledge.

_'In which case, they should be just fine. I just need to make sure that WE stay that way,'_ she concluded, looking back over her shoulder to begin checking their surroundings.

A gentle breeze accompanied them across the open field, forcing the tall grass to bend to its will as the convoy continued onward in silence. No birds, or any other animals for that matter, could be seen going about their daily lives in the field. Not even the insects hummed their lively (albeit incredibly irritating) tunes. The emptiness left behind by their absence left Zelda feeling uncomfortable, and rather melancholic. It was as if every creature had known what was to come, and thus retreated to the farthest corners of the world in the hopes of avoiding the bloodshed that would soon stain the earth.

Something she wished Hyrule could avoid as well.

She may bear the Triforce of Wisdom, and she had heard time and time again that wisdom came with age; but for all the knowledge she had gained, she didn't feel very wise, and certainly not wise enough to lead her army to victory. This was the first war she had to take part in; though her father had always charged off to the front lines the moment Hyrule needed him, she would be left to provide support from home by forming alliances, sending troops and obtaining weapons and medical supplies. She honestly wasn't sure that she was fit to lead, no matter what Impa or the King had said.

But there was no one else who could lead. She was all that was left of the Royal Family, and only those from that family had the authority to determine the kingdom's fate. Even if another royal married into it, it would be almost a year before their title held any weight within Hyrule's borders. Some council members were incredibly particular about maintaining the bloodline's purity and prominence, and they abhorred the idea of allowing a person with poor ancestry to join the family's ranks. Other, less manipulative members, were more concerned for Hyrule as a whole, rather than the family's reputation. Zelda tried not to let the conflict rise whenever she met with the council members, since they still managed to have heated arguments about the subject despite the fact that most of those decisions had been made long before her time.

She commended her father for his patience with those people.

Looking ahead, she wondered how far they would get before they came under attack once more. The timing of the attacks would be key in figuring if they were being watched or not, which she assumed they were if the enemy had kept track of when they left the castle; and she doubted they would have let the convoy get away if they hadn't planned on following it. She wasn't entirely sure why they would allow it to leave in the first place, if they had merely wanted to claim Hyrule. It was possible that they wanted to make a show of defeating the army, to get a point across, or maybe they simply wanted to continue toying with them just because they could.

All she knew was that they had appeared suddenly, without any warning. Not a single kingdom had shown any sign of hostility, nor had any of the Hyrulean outposts reported any sightings of large armies advancing toward Hyrule. Of course, the fact that they were battling monsters rather than people had caused them to almost completely dismiss the idea that another kingdom was behind it, though she wouldn't put it past some of the foreign rulers she had heard about.

There was a lot to take into consideration, and at the moment she felt that she was finding more questions than answers. So, she decided that she would wait until they had stopped for the night, and see if the slightly fewer distractions would help her properly think everything through. She wasn't going to expect it to be that easy, though.

But it should be at least a little easier, right?

“Someone take hold of these reins, I tire of fighting this animal!”

“Um... aren't you going to dismount, your Highness?”

“And lower myself to a peasant's level? Ha! I would never allow my dignity to suffer such a blow.”

...

Perhaps not...

* * *

 

Many hours had passed before she decided to end the day's march. If they went any further, it wouldn't be long before they were forced to make their way through the dark, for the sky had begun to fade into the deep blues of night. Hyrule was a beautiful place, but once the sun sunk below the horizon, it didn't hesitate to bare its fangs at any who dared to pass through. Many predators made their homes here, and creatures that were considered by many to be a mere folk tale would reveal themselves as anything but. Keese and Wolfos were more common nuisances, but Poes were often reported as well.

However, they weren't regularly known to roam the areas the convoy was passing through, though it wasn't unheard of either. She imagined most of them had left due to the season, but that in itself would bring its own problems. Unfortunately, each creature just so happened to have a subspecies that thrived in colder weather, and they always came running at the first snowfall. But winter wouldn't be arriving for a couple of months, so hopefully the army wouldn't run into trouble with any of the creatures, save for the ones that possibly got left behind or had decided to stay.

Of course, there would be lookouts stationed all around the camp site throughout the night, so they would hopefully have some forewarning before anything could get into the middle of the camp and take them by surprise. If a Poe didn't get any ideas, that is.

Zelda doubted they would have any problems though, and while they were all setting up camp she couldn't find it worrisome enough to bother her, as she was more concerned about securing the area and getting some sleep. The day was starting to catch up with her, as it had begun to do with the others, if the multitude of drooping eyes that passed by meant anything.

It had been a long, tiring day, and everyone's spirits were slowly lowering with the knowledge of Hyrule Castle's destruction. To know that her home was gone left her feeling angered and drained of energy at the same time, and she could only hope that everyone had gotten out alright. She wanted to hope that something had remained of the castle as well, that it could be rebuilt; but she wasn't going to hold onto that possibility too tightly. It had definitely hit the army's morale pretty hard, and it was up to her to repair it. She wasn't sure how easily that could be done, but it would have to be if they wanted to stand a chance.

As everyone finished setting up, Volga stood quietly at her side, watching the others run around the camp while she rummaged through a crate on one of their wagons, searching for the maps they had brought with them. She wanted to look over their planned route one last time, to ensure that it was without a doubt the safest, (she hoped) quickest path to Ordona. It was taking a little longer than she expected to find them, though.

“Any luck yet?” he asked nonchalantly.

“No, no, no....” she muttered. It irked her sometimes how the darned things managed to get buried so well whenever she needed them. But right as she was starting to get frustrated, her hand brushed against parchment bound by a thin leather string. “Yes!” she grabbed the maps and turned around, a triumphant smile in place.

He gave her an amused look. “Ah, rejoicing in your victory?” he teased lightly.

Deciding to play along, her grin only grew, though she did calm herself slightly. “Of course. Who doesn't celebrate the defeat of parchment?” she replied.

“I assume many,” he countered smoothly with his ever present smirk.

She raised a brow at him. “Then you, Sir, have yet to see someone finish a mathematics book,” she stated in a matter-of-fact tone. When he responded with a light chuckle, she couldn't help but do the same. It was nice to have a moment of contentment, however brief it may be; and she had a feeling they would become few and far between within the next few days.

As they moved through the camp, Zelda had to marvel at how quietly Volga walked beside her. She could hear him, yes; but only because of her proximity. The castle had been a different story, because everything echoed in its halls (she couldn't remember how many times Impa had caught her sneaking around. She had been a very restless child for quite some time). But out here, she doubted he could be heard if one wasn't close enough to him, and that seemed so unlikely considering his size and his armor.

“How is it that you barely make a sound when you walk?” she asked, unable to hide her curiosity.

“My mentor taught me early on that silence is a valuable ally,” he replied, glancing at her for a moment. “He made me practice anything that would require it for hours on end. Hunting, surprise attacks, 'stealing' one object or another from him or a Chieftain, pick-pocketing the occasional thief...”

“A mentor? I see. But, why would a thief be in the Eldin Caves? I know there are plenty of gemstones, but I would think that with all of the Gorons and Reptilians there, they wouldn't bother,” she questioned further. What could possibly be worth going through all of that?

“They don't come near the caves,” he confirmed with a nod, “but they have managed to steal weapons and pieces of armor from the guards that patrol the area. Whenever that happens, they send me to retrieve it all since it's easier for me to blend in.”

She frowned in puzzlement. “Are the weapons and armor that important? Can't they be replaced?”

He gave her a sharp look, though his expression was blank. “Almost all weapons wielded by Clan members are passed down within the families. Once hatchlings come of age, they can choose to craft their own weapon; but using the weapons of our ancestors is one of the oldest traditions among the Reptilian Clans, as well as an important step towards becoming a recognized fighter,” he explained with a displeased tone.

She tried to discern what had soured his mood, and it took her a moment to realize her mistake. With a small start, she bowed her head. “My apologies, I wasn't aware that they held deeper meaning. I assure you I meant no disrespect,” she said, feeling a little foolish. She should have considered the fact that they would have cultural differences.

Volga blinked at her for a moment, his expression softening as he shook his head with a small sigh. “I appreciate it, but there's really no need for an apology. I'm aware that not many people know of the Clan's ways, I just...” he paused, frowning slightly.

“You don't like to hear others judge your family. I know that feeling well,” she stated. When she was met with silence, she decided to change the subject. “Am I right to assume that you made that spear of yours, then?” she asked, genuinely curious.

He was quiet for a brief moment before he nodded. “Indeed. I learned that many of the metals found in the caves are very resilient, so I used the best I could find. My mentor even gave me permission to retrieve a Dragon bone to add to it,” he explained.

“Dragon bone? But no one's found any trace of a Dragon for years,” she stated. She had thought that they died out just before the Era of the Hero of Time had ended.

“Indeed,” he replied with a secretive look before continuing. “Their bones are stronger than any steel, and can make quick work of just about anything.”

“Yes but how did-?”

“It actually took me a few days to finish it.”

“But where-?”

“It hasn't failed me yet, though.”

She looked at him, and he looked back, neither of them speaking.

….

“You're not going to tell me, are you...?” she finally sighed, knowing the answer.

He smirked. “I'm afraid not, Milady. Only the Patriarch is allowed to divulge that information, if he deems one worthy.”

“Of course...” she muttered. There was always something else when it came to those things. “And what exactly does one do to become worthy?” she asked. She doubted she would ever accomplish it, but she was curious to know anyway.

“Members of the Clan have to climb the ranks until they are recognized as potential Chieftains. But for outsiders, it's a bit more complicated,” he replied thoughtfully.

“How so?” she pushed slightly with a raised brow.

“Well, Clan law dictates that outsiders aren't to be trusted under any circumstances, and can only be given information that is absolutely necessary. If a time comes where it's vital that an outsider learn the Clan's secrets, they must first prove their loyalty to the Clan by passing a test of sorts,” he explained.

She nodded in understanding. It made sense that they would have something like that, in case the situation ever became dire. “I see. And if they pass?” she inquired further, now intrigued.

He looked a little puzzled, but he did not seem unwilling continue. “If they succeed, they will have to face the Patriarch in battle afterward. But if there isn't any time to do so, simply passing the test is enough.”

“Fair enough,” she replied, glancing at him. “Is that why they're so... reclusive?” she asked, hoping that wasn't a poor choice of words.

Thankfully, he didn't seem bothered by it. “That, and they're very particular about interacting with the other races. They get along fine with the Gorons, but they aren't too keen on conversing with anyone else.”

“I assume you feel differently?”

“Somewhat,” he confirmed. “I'm not going to seek any of them out, but I'm not opposed to conversation, either,” he said simply.

Zelda nodded in understanding. “That's good. Once the others join us we'll be attending a lot of meetings, so I advise you to be prepared. I've met with the other royals before, and the debates usually devolve into hours of bickering,” she stated, shaking her head slightly.

“Excellent...” he muttered, causing her to giggle slightly.

“Don't worry, you can wait elsewhere if you prefer. You'll have to stay close by, but at least you could ignore it,” she offered. She honestly wouldn't wish one of those meetings on anyone. They could drag on for what felt like an eternity when the royals were in each others' faces.

“As tempting as that sounds, I think not. I have no intention of getting on Captain Impa's bad side,” he replied with a grimace.

“Well, I can't fault you for that...” she agreed, mirroring his expression.

“Has she always been that way?” he asked as they finally reached the right tent.

They both stepped inside to find a low table standing at the center. As Zelda untied the leather string that bound the map, and went to light a nearby lamp, she thought about her answer. “Well, yes,” she began as the lamp's small flame began to light up the area. “For as long as I've known her at least. I've always assumed that part of the reason behind her personality was due to the fact that the tribe suffered through many wars during her childhood, and as a result she had to start her training at an earlier age than most,” she said, then shrugged lightly. “I can't say for sure, though, because we've never talked about it. Father was the only one who knew the whole story.”

“Strange, I didn't think she hid anything from you. Aren't the two of you fairly close?” he asked while trying to stay out of her way, his curiosity evident.

Zelda smiled. “Yes. She's been my bodyguard since I was born, and both my father and I have always seen her as part of the family,” she stated as she took the lamp to the table, and began to spread the map across its surface.

“And your mother...?” he asked carefully.

She blinked for a moment, then replied with a small sigh. “I don't think she minded it too much. From what I can remember, she felt the same way we did,” she said, unable to keep a light tone. “In all honesty, I don't remember much from back then...”

He was silent after that, probably thinking he had said too much. She wished she could better explain the fact that she didn't mind speaking of it, it just stirred up a sense of longing that wasn't easy to bury. His question wasn't unreasonable either, as many wives didn't take it well when another woman showed up out of the blue and suddenly started living under the same roof as their family, so she could see why he would ask. Sometimes though, she couldn't help but wonder if her mother had left because she didn't care about them enough to stay. Her father had always insisted that someone had taken the Queen, but Zelda wasn't so sure.

Realizing that she was starting to get lost in thought, she returned her focus back to her newest shadow, who was observing her quietly. She smiled in response. “But, that's the way things are. All I can do now is keep looking, and hopefully find out where she is,” she stated, looking down to the map. “Now, I want to be sure that we take the quickest and safest path to Ordona possible. It wouldn't be good if we ran into any more battles before we strengthened our numbers, so what do you think of taking this route here?” she asked, tracing a road on the map. She watched as he came to stand beside her, leaning over to get a better view of the road she was talking about.

He remained silent, carefully studying the path she had chosen. “It seems fast enough, but are you sure you want to keep to the fields? Staying in the open will only make it easier for the Summoners to find us; but if we continue through the forests, at the very least they'll have to look around for a few minutes. That in itself could give us enough time to put some distance between them and ourselves,” he finally said.

“You have a point...” she murmured with a frown. “My only concern with the forests is how dense they become. If we run into trouble and have to retreat, the wagons won't be able to take a shortcut through the trees like our mounted and foot soldiers can, so they'll have to stay on the road; which means they'll need troops there to defend them, since they carry our wounded...” she stated, her frown more prominent. She didn't like the idea of splitting the troops up like that, but she wouldn't leave the wagons out there to fend for themselves, either.

“So,” Volga began as he straightened, his tone suggesting that he didn't like their options. “We can travel faster at the risk of being an easy target; or we can better hide ourselves by sacrificing our time and group strength, while still being an easy target,” he surmised.

Zelda glanced at him, able to see his face clearly now that he stood within the lit area. His eyes were narrowed, exuding that faint glow she had noticed awhile back as they scrutinized the map's depictions. She could tell that he was a little frustrated with the choices they had, and she felt the same way. But she also knew that they would be at risk no matter what they did; all they could do was decide what was most important to them at that moment in time.

He turned to look at her. “Should we head back and find a new route?” he asked, seeming uncertain of that suggestion as well.

She shook her head. “No. If we do that we'll be heading right into the enemy forces' grasp, and we need to stay ahead of them for as long as we can,” she replied, mulling over their options once more. “We also have to keep in mind that whatever does or doesn't work to our advantage, will apply to them as well.”

He sighed. “I still think we should go through the forests, but the choice is yours,” he replied.

“And you don't think the risks outweigh the rewards?” she asked him with a raised brow.

“No,” he said without hesitation.

She was quiet for a moment, before she straightened with a nod. “Very well then, I shall trust your judgment,” she stated, rolling up the map to bind it.

“Thank you, Milady,” he replied with a respectful nod.

She returned it, picking up the lamp to put it back in place. Impa would've given her an earful for being so quick to heed his advice, since her final impression of him hadn't been favorable; but Zelda truly believed that Volga had no ill will toward any of them. She wouldn't ignore the Captain's suspicions, but she also knew that trust had to be given as well as taken. She would keep an eye on him, of course; but she wasn't going to treat him as an enemy until he had given her good reason to.

Once they had left the tent and put the map back, she had to refrain from dragging her feet as they made their way to their own tents.

“Please forgive my rudeness, but.... you won't be staying in some overly bright thing like the Lanayruan royals have, will you?” he asked, sounding wary.

Zelda shook her head with a small grin. “No. It took some time, but I managed to convince my staff that I would be better off with a normal tent. They still made it somewhat larger than the others though...” she explained, wanting to roll her eyes.

“While I am relieved, I can understand why they would do so. From what I've heard, things don't usually go well when a royal isn't treated as one,” he stated, his tone belying a hint of his amusement.

“Yes, but they also know that I'm not made of glass. Honestly, the assumptions some people make...” she replied, her expression souring the more she thought of it. “I can see it now. Future Queen of Hyrule faints at the sight of a little dirt on her dress,” she huffed. “Oh yes, very intimidating. I bet even the nastiest foe would be shaking in his boots when I met the floor...” she muttered under her breath.

A barely heard snort had her glancing back at Volga. The slight quirk in his lips and bemused gleam in his eye told her that she definitely hadn't imagined it. She sighed hopelessly.

“Don't mind me,” he said mirthfully. “By all means, continue.”

She did roll her eyes that time, but shook her head and smiled in resignation. It was her own fault, after all.

They continued on in comfortable silence, until they finally saw the right tent. It wasn't hard to find, but thankfully it wasn't nearly as obvious as it would've been if she hadn't done anything to change it. Once they reached it, she sighed in relief, turning to the Dragon Knight with a tired smile. “Thank you for helping me, I appreciate it,” she said. “Ah, before I forget, that one's yours,” she added, pointing to the next tent over.

“Thank you,” he replied, his gaze following where she indicated before moving back to her.

They stood there silently for a moment, and she wondered why he gave her a questioning look before it dawned on her. “Oh, forgive me,” she said apologetically. “Everything's been taken care of, now that we've gotten our route planned out. All we'll have to do is pack up in the morning, so go ahead and get some sleep when you're ready.”

“Very well,” he nodded, giving a quick bow. “Goodnight, Milady.”

“Goodnight, Volga,” she replied with a smile as she stepped into her own tent.

She sighed as his footsteps grew quieter, beginning to remove her shoulder guards. _'I hope we don't have to spend every day like this, at least not for too long,'_ she thought, though she knew it wasn't likely. At least they could slow down a little once they reached Ordona, but they wouldn't be able to stay long. She would make the necessary arrangements for her wounded and others to live there until further notice; but once the province's troops joined their forces, they would be moving on to Faron. She had agreed to meet up with each province's forces as they passed through on their way to what her scouts had deemed to be their enemy's base. She hoped that would still be the case by the time they got there...

But until then, they would continue to gather their forces and meet with the Kings to discuss battle plans. She wasn't sure if the King of Ordona would be joining them, though. It was a smaller kingdom with a small army to match, and she imagined that the King would want to stay and look after things, especially if they already knew of Castle Town's fate; which she was almost certain they did. She wouldn't begrudge anyone for that, as she would have done the same if she had known what would happen, so she would gratefully accept any help they could offer.

After another minute or two, she was finally able to get into bed, immediately feeling her eyes starting to close despite the fact that her mind was still fretting over everything. It didn't take her long to start ignoring the list of things they needed to do, if only for the night, since she knew that they wouldn't be going anywhere overnight and it would only be a hindrance if she lost sleep over them. She decided that she would try to take things one day at a time, if only to allow herself time to think instead of making a rash decision. None of them could afford the costs of indecisiveness anymore, but she wouldn't be putting anyone's life at risk without weighing the options, if the situation would allow. At the end of the day, she would do what she could. No intent of failure, and no promises of success.

With this final resolve, her tired eyes succumbed to the weight that beckoned them to close, drifting off into a quiet, much needed slumber. Something she would be very glad for, later on.

* * *

 

At the moment, sleep was eluding Volga.

He had walked into his tent feeling like he would pass out at any minute; but as soon as he had laid down, he was wide awake. His mind had started to wander the moment his head met the makeshift pillow, frustrating him to no end. He wondered how closely Cia was watching him, which he was going to assume she was, and whether or not she would have to enforce the spell or let it take care of itself. He loathed that he was completely in the dark on the subject, and that there was nothing he could do about it, at least for the time being. Tired of this, his thoughts wandered to their next destination. He had seen Ordona from the skies before, far up enough to be unseen of course, but he had never actually been there. He had heard it was a pleasant place to visit, with plenty of scenery to enjoy, but other than that he didn't know much about it.

Looking back, he realized that he had never really seen any of the provinces on foot. His travels only took place three months out of the year, when he would make one round trip during each of those months to check in on the other Clans. Long before he himself had come along, the Clan Patriarchs had agreed to maintain regular contact in order to stay informed on how everyone was doing. Thankfully, the other nine months were divided between the other three major Clans, so word of Volga's... adoption, by King Dodongo quickly reached them. Which meant meant that he had managed to bypass potential Reptilian attacks, except for one time where an uninformed member nearly got hold of him...

Once he was deemed old enough (by clan standards, at least) he started fulfilling the task on his own. Despite being a messenger of sorts for the Clan, it had never affected the view other members had of him or interfered with his position, which consisted of battling any of the Clan's sub adults that wanted to be named a warrior. If he found them skilled enough, he would pass them; if not, he would tell them to come back once they had honed their skills.

Well, that's what he used to do... before Cia came along. He didn't even know if anyone from the Clan was still alive, since the sorceress's spell had forced him toward Hyrule Castle; and he wasn't sure how far away he could venture before it, or maybe even she herself, brought him back. Their well being had been on his mind since he had left, of course; but he feared that Cia would know if he tried to go back, and in turn become more forceful with her spell. He wasn't sure it would be wise of him to try and test the spell's limits, lest she decided to remove whatever free will he had left.

Thus, it was highly important that Cia believed he was being a perfectly obedient soldier. He would have to do everything he could think of to appear as such, since he didn't know what kind of perspective she was seeing him from, or if she could see him at all. But that had been his situation for awhile now, and it seemed that this method was working so far.

Still, he hoped that the Clan was alright, and that they might have some clue as to where he had gone, or at least why. Maybe he would find the chance to go back home... but he doubted that chance would come anytime soon. So, for now he would do as his newest job required, and try to piece together a solution for his predicament as he went.

Volga rolled over onto his side, and with a resigned sigh, he finally tried once more to get some rest, quickly being claimed by sleep before he could even begin to feel thankful for its grip.

* * *

 

“Hey, Volga! Wake up!”

Said man's eyes blinked open, seeing nothing but the bleary form of a young man in green... a lot of green...

Sitting up slightly and rubbing his eyes, Volga squinted at him as he tried to wake up, noting that it was still pitch black outside, save for the lit torch that stood nearby. “I'm going to assume that your reason for barging in here at such an unreasonable hour...” he stated slowly, yawning a bit, “must be important?”

“Hurry up and get dressed. I think you need to take a look at this,” was Link's reply as he vanished from sight.

Feeling that was as good an answer as he was going to get, Volga stood and quickly began to change, deciding to forgo his armor for the moment, which he hoped he wouldn't regret. Once he was finished, he stepped outside of the tent to find Link standing a little ways off.

“This way,” the young man said when Volga approached, walking off toward a small hill nearby. Link definitely didn't like whatever it was he had seen, his entire being almost completely exuded apprehension.

Volga followed quietly, his unease growing when Link kneeled down just short of the hilltop, he himself quickly following suit.

“You see that light there?” Link asked.

Looking out into the darkness, he quickly spotted the object in question. Out in the middle of the field, a single flame flickered dimly as a light breeze tossed it back and forth. “I see it,” Volga replied with a nod, trying to distinguish if there was anyone near it. Despite what people might think, his vision was only slightly better than others' at night. He wasn't necessarily aware of the details behind his bloodline, but he and the Clan assumed that being a half-blood meant that only some Draconic abilities were passed on. Though this was based on the assumption that he was born a half-blood in the first place, when in reality, no one could say for sure where his abilities had come from.

But, returning to the matter at hand, he couldn't tell if there was anyone or anything near the light. This fact didn't sit well with him for obvious reasons, and he could understand why Link had wanted someone else to take a look. “How long has it been there?” Volga asked, keeping his gaze on the flame.

“The guard I took over for didn't say anything about it, so I'm guessing it wasn't there when he left. I saw it the moment I got up here though,” Link replied, then started to look a little panicked. “Do you think it's a distraction?”

“I don't think so,” he shook his head. “If it were, we would've seen enemy forces by now. They also would've left a few archers out there to fire at us and hold our attention while another group attacked a different side of camp,” he stated.

“That still doesn't explain why it's there,” Link frowned. “I don't like it. It's too out of place...”

“I agree. We should probably take a closer look,” Volga replied. “But not until morning. It wouldn't be good if we got got ambushed out there in the middle of the night,” he added with a furrowed brow.

“Fair point,” the young man nodded, then carefully backed away as he stood up. “I'll take it from here then,” he said, still watching the light carefully.

“Very well. Let me know if anything changes,” Volga said as he too retreated, starting to make his way back down the hill.

“Will do,” Link replied, focused solely on his current task.

Knowing that there wasn't much else that could be said or done about it, the Dragon Knight returned to his tent, not entirely sure why Link had chosen to wake him. _'Well, he can't really ask Impa, and I'm basically her replacement for the time being...'_ he mused to himself. _'That, and it probably wouldn't look good if he woke everyone, or even the Princess herself over a false alarm. I doubt she would be too upset by it, though I can't say the same for the others.'_

Thinking of it that way, it made more sense. He hadn't thought about it before, but being promoted to bodyguard implied that his skill and knowledge was equal to that of Impa herself, which also meant that he would need to be able to take up all of the other responsibilities that came with the job. He didn't know what all that entailed, but he would make it a point to ask the Princess first thing in the morning. If he was right, though, then that meant that everything was about to become much more complicated. But there was no point in sulking about it now, since he had already accepted the position; and he wasn't one to go back on his word if he could help it.

So with this in mind as he finally made it back to bed, Volga decided that he would meet the expectations placed upon him, or at the very least try to, and hope that it would be enough to get everything taken care of.

And if it wasn't...

Well, he would just have to cross that bridge when he came to it.


	8. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 7 finally arrives! This one is still on the slow side, but I'm planning to pick up the pace in chapter 8. In the meantime, I hope you like this one!
> 
> Enjoy!~
> 
> Edit: I noticed that Zelda’s dialogue about time travel items/instructions was inconsistent, so I changed it a little bit to hopefully make more sense.

Volga had awoken to the sounds of thunder and frantic shouting echoing across the camp. He'd quickly dressed and darted outside, spear in hand and awaiting the first sign of any enemy that crossed paths with him. What he hadn't expected, though, was to find the Princess looking into the sky with awe alongside some of the soldiers. Confused to find them in stillness rather than combat, he'd looked up to see what had caught their attention.

It was certainly a sight to behold.

A magic circle created by the same rune barrier they had witnessed the day before loomed above them in a stormy sky, and within it descended what appeared to be an island of some sort. Watching this strange chunk of earth carefully, he approached the Princess's side.

“What is it...?” he asked, his bafflement clear.

“I don't know,” she replied wearily. “I just stepped outside myself.”

Volga thought for a moment. “It's the same magic from yesterday, so there's no doubting the source, but when did this... thing, show up?” he wondered aloud, at a complete loss as to what he should make of the situation.

“According to some of the knights, it appeared just moments ago,” she answered. “I know it's a piece of earth, but I can't fathom where it could've come from...”

Once the strange island's descent had ceased, the storm clouds vanished, returning the sky to its morning blue.

“Your Highness, look there,” one of her knights spoke. “A mountain suddenly appeared to the east, as well as some type of building in the south.”

Volga and the Princess first looked to the strange mountain, with a thick cloud of black smoke rising from its peak, then to the structure made of stone, with what seemed to be two towers on either side. It was clear that they were all... brought there through the same magic, but he had no clue why. “If they're able to... 'summon' anything, why did they bring these three objects in particular? What could they possibly have in common?” he asked.

“I don't know, but.... they all look familiar somehow,” she noted with a questioning frown.

He glanced again. “Now that you mention it, I do recognize the mountain somewhat. It almost looks like Death Mountain,” he stated. Strange as it may sound, the sight of it caused a faint ache in his being...

Of course, Death Mountain was a sacred place to the Reptilians, due to its shared history with them. Since many Reptilian and Goron clans had coexisted within it in ages past, it was revered by both. But its reverence in the eyes of the Gorons had been lost when Volvagia's mind was stolen from him. In his crazed state, the Dragon had tormented them for seven years, until he was slain by the Hero of time and relieved of evil's influence. No one knew what happened to anything that remained of Volvagia (no one outside of the Clans, anyway) after the Gorons reclaimed their home; but it was said that any trace of his presence was destroyed.

If it was true that he was Volvagia reborn, then it was no wonder that he'd felt that faint ache. The part of him that resonated the most with the Dragon longed for the place it once called home, though he wasn't sure why, as it surely couldn't be the same one. Even if it was, Volga himself held no desire to see it. It would be the equivalent of a relic from his past, a time he wished to keep behind him where it belonged, having little to no involvement in his daily life.

There was no escaping it, he knew; but King Dodongo had made it clear to him that the second chance he'd been given was his to do with as he pleased, though not without specifying that if he made no attempt to do better with it, it was unlikely he'd receive another. So he'd resolved that he wanted nothing to do with his previous life, though it seemed that it would be harder to move past than he originally hoped.

“You're right.... but if that is Death Mountain, then it can't be the one from this time. It rises in the lands of Eldin, far beyond our own borders, so unless it was moved from there, the one we see now is likely from another era,” the Princess stated, eyeing the peak with a calm but intense gaze.

“Another era? Not to be rude, but isn't that stretching it a bit?” he questioned, his tone laced with skepticism.

“Well, it _should_ be impossible... do you know the story behind the Hero of Time?” she asked in turn, glancing at him briefly.

“All I know is that in order to save his world, he had to use an enchanted item to travel through time,” he replied honestly. While he saw how it could relate to the current situation, he wasn't entirely sure why it would be relevant.

“After he defeated the evil being that plagued them, the Princess of that era sought to collect any scrolls or tomes that held mention of, or instructions on how to use any magic that involved the manipulation of time,” she began. “The Hero of Time first traveled seven years into the future, but he also had to travel that same amount in reverse as well. He did so more than once, and each time he either increased or decreased in age by that same number. Such extensive use of that power had taken its toll on him, for even though his body changed in age, his mind did not. Even when he was permanently returned to the days of his youth after the evil was vanquished, he had no choice but to keep the mature mindset he'd had to adopt, as well as his memories of the event.”

“In other words, it made no difference,” Volga stated.

She nodded. “Yes. Having seen how it affected him, but also knowing that it may be needed again, the Princess of that era decided to find as many items related to such magic as she could, in order to place them under her own protection, or the protection of those she knew she could trust. After this, she sought to help write more detailed instructions on how to use those items efficiently, in order to help train any future heroes that may have need of it,” she finished, gazing at the new structures.

“You imply that these new locations have been brought here through the use of time manipulation; but if anything that involves that is within the castle or held by trusted allies, then why have these places appeared?” he asked with a quick glance at her. “Perhaps something was stolen from the castle, or one of these allies?”

“Where our allies are concerned, it's unlikely, but not impossible. As for the castle, they could've gotten hold of anything that wasn't destroyed in the attack. Even then, they may well have dug through the debris to find something,” she replied. “However, I've seen all of the scrolls, tomes and objects that hold this type of power; and I don't think, or at the very least I don't remember, any of them speaking of something like this.”

“What else could it be?” he asked, turning to look at the 'island' that hung above them as if held in place by a string.

“A new form of time manipulation, or possibly an old one from before the Era of Time,” she answered. “I'm afraid that's all I can tell for sure, until we find out more.”

He nodded. “I see. So if that,” he gestured to the fiery peak, “is another Death Mountain, then what are the other two?”

“I would assume that the piece of earth above us is Skyloft.”

“You mean, the same place from the book you showed me?”

“Yes. It's definitely large enough to have a village built on it,” she replied, then looked to the south. “As for that stone structure, though, I have no idea.”

“Princess Zelda.”

They both turned to see King Ezu approaching them, a calm expression on his face, but a rigid posture that told Volga of his unease. He stopped before them and offered a quick bow before looking to the Princess.

“Has something else happened, King Ezu?” she asked, her tone concerned.

The King shook his head. “No, your Highness, I only wanted to speak with you.”

“Very well, what do you need?” she questioned further, moving to face him fully.

“I'd like to suggest that we leave the area as soon as possible. I'm aware that we do need to know what exactly has occurred here; but the appearance of these... things.... has left the army on edge, myself included. I think it might be best to move along and make haste for Deya Village. Hopefully by the time we arrive there, we'll have heard from Captain Impa, and the Goron and Zora tribes,” he explained, glancing around warily. “It's easy to tell that these objects were brought here by our enemy, and I don't think it wise to be near it when we have no way of knowing if we're at risk of attack.”

After a moment the Princess nodded in agreement. “You're right. We've lingered long enough,” she said, looking back to the island above them. “I would have a group of soldiers inspect the mountain and stone structure, but we simply can't afford to thin out our army any more than we already have. It will just have to wait.”

“I dislike the uncertainty as well, but I'm glad you feel the same. I'll tell my lookouts to at least watch the.... island .... above us while we prepare for our departure,” King Ezu replied.

“Yes, I'll do so as well,” the Princess said. “I just dislike the idea of leaving this unchecked...” she paused, her expression conflicted.

Volga crossed his arms. “Please forgive the interruption, but I highly doubt we'll be able to avoid investigating them. For now, I'd like to suggest that we focus on leaving, and come back once we've regrouped with the others.”

The Princess looked thoughtful for a moment. “That may be our safest option...” she said, then turned to the old man “What do you think, King Ezu?”

“I concur,” he answered. “Now's not the time to be taking chances, so I say we set off.”

“Alright then,” the Princess replied, turning away slightly with a polite nod. “Let's get started before we second guess ourselves. Come find us once you're ready to go.”

“Very well,” King Ezu said. With a nod in return, he turned on his heel and briskly walked away.

As he began to follow her, Volga couldn't help but ask, “Pardon me for asking, but doesn't he seem a little too... fearful... to be leading an army?”

The Princess smiled lightly. “He's being cautious because he's never dealt with something like this before. King Ezu is a man who cares greatly for his people. He knows as well as I that the soldiers who so loyally follow us have lives of their own; whether they have families who are depending on them to return home safely, or they have seen far more combat than anyone should have to, and want only to spend the rest of their days in peace. He will do all he can to bring them back alive. I assure you, once the real battles begin, you'll see just how fierce he can be.”

“I see. I take it you've seen him in combat before, then?” he questioned with piqued curiosity.

“Quite a few times, actually. He often sparred with my father during his visits, though of course they never used their full strength,” she said with a light shrug. “However, there was one time where he grew absolutely furious.”

A brow raised. “Really now? He doesn't seem like he'd be easy to anger... but, it can't be said that I know him very well,” Volga stated.

“You would be correct, it's not easy to gain his ire,” she replied. “But it's for the best. He rarely raises his voice with those close to him, though I've heard him do so before. However, when it comes to someone who has threatened him in some way, he loses most of his compassion. He and my father were very similar in that sense.”

“Ah...” Volga said, turning thoughtful. “Then, if I might ask, what brought out his temper so viciously, that you were able to bear witness?”

“Well...” she began, looking unsure of how to continue, “you remember that King Ezu arrived a few days before the ball, and the rest of his family arrived afterwards?”

“Of course,” he nodded. “I assume it was because you wished to negotiate with him first?”

“You're partly correct. Since my father and King Ezu were childhood friends, it became a tradition between our families to arrive well in advance of major events in either kingdom, so that we might have time to visit before we'd be required to brave the public eye all night,” she explained. “One year, Father grew ill and couldn't make the journey, but he sent Impa, Mira and I anyway. During our stay, tensions between Lanayru and one of its neighboring kingdoms grew high. To summarize, King Ezu discovered that one of his own had been relaying information to the opposing royalty. Nothing came of it, as they were able to form an alliance, but it still put him and his family at risk should that alliance ever grow strained. When he confronted the one responsible, he was... ruthless. More than I ever imagined he could be, at the time. I never saw what happened to the traitor past the King's initial outburst towards him, but I know he faced far more brutal interrogation methods than those you would see an everyday officer use.”

“Did you ever see these methods yourself?”

“I can thankfully say no, but I've heard the guards that aid in the interrogations speak of them. It came as quite a shock to me then; but looking back, it probably shouldn't have surprised me so much.”

“Why is that?” he couldn't help but ask. He'd read plenty of books, but he'd never been able to hear anyone explain a kingdom's past before.

“The Lanayru Kingdom has a violent history. There was an uprising against the ninth King, led by a man who believed him ill-suited to rule. The King tried to reason with this man and his men many times; but when they began to use vicious tactics against the army, he decided that talk was futile. So the King began his search for a combat form that would strike terror into the hearts of his opponents and leave them unguarded. It wasn't long until he found his solution lying in the skills of a former mercenary, whom he hired as an instructor for himself and the Lanayruan Army. It goes without saying that it worked, and soon enough the rogues were defeated. After that, the King's children learned these techniques themselves; and from then on it was passed down to each generation, be they royalty or soldier,” the Princess told him. Her previous hesitance turned to fascination as she recalled the tale, though he supposed he should've expected that.

“So of course, King Ezu learned it as well,” he finished for her.

She nodded. “Indeed, as did Prince Loka. If negotiation fails on more than one occasion, neither will be afraid to resort to drastic measures if they feel it necessary.”

“I have a feeling that point comes along a lot earlier for one than it does the other...” he mused aloud, watching as she sighed.

“Unfortunately, yes,” she replied with a shake of her head. “It's baffling that they're related...” she muttered as an afterthought.

The Dragon Knight was inclined to agree. King Ezu seemed like a decent man, despite his earlier impression that the older man wasn't a very confrontational person. He wondered just how incorrect he'd been... even if the Princess explained further, Volga doubted he would know the full extent of the man's ability. As much as he wanted the rest of their trip to be an easy one, he couldn't help but wish to see the King's skills for himself...

“Alright everyone, let's break camp. We need to leave within the next hour,” the Princess declared loudly as they neared the center of camp.

Before the last words could be spoken, the soldiers immediately began taking down tents and picking up whatever belongings they had laying around. Volga followed silently as the Princess began to do the same, assisting when she asked and watching the floating island when she didn't. As strange as it was, he felt that he couldn't turn his back to it unless he knew someone else could see it; as if it would crash down on them, or a horde of monsters might leap from it. While he knew it was unlikely that anything without wings could survive a fall from such a height, he couldn't help feeling a small sliver of doubt. For all they knew, any creatures that might be up there could fly or glide, or maybe even be strong enough to make the jump and live. The fact remained that they knew nothing of what they were up against, which put them at a severe disadvantage, though hopefully one that wouldn't last very long.

And the more he thought of all the questions that had yet to be answered, the more he wanted to leave at the earliest possible moment, if only to increase their numbers.

Thankfully, it seemed the Princess was thinking the same thing, if the uneasy expression he saw on her features was anything to go by.

“Volga, could you help me load these last few sacks? Once we get them secured we should be able to leave soon, if everyone else has finished as well,” she asked, one of the sacks hanging over her shoulder and two more held in her other hand.

He nodded, walking past her to pick up the remaining sacks before turning back to her and asking, “Where to?”

“The wagons are on that side of camp,” she replied, walking in the direction she gestured to.

He followed closely behind her as she led them through the maze of tents and bustling soldiers, some of which one or the other nearly collided with, but both had been able to right themselves in time. When they finally reached the wagons, they saw that most of them were packed full, which Volga for one was thankful for. The longer they stayed, the more uneasy he became; and he didn't like the idea of waiting to see if he was overthinking it or not.

Once again to his relief, the Princess seemed to be thinking along the same lines, as the moment he placed the sacks into one of the wagons, she turned to head back.

“Come, we should see how everyone else is doing,” she said as she began to retrace their path.

He soon fell into step beside her, glancing around to see that most of the tents and varied items they'd brought along were nowhere in sight, which meant they had already been packed. There were plenty of other Knights lugging crates and sacks around, but at least they were nearly finished. As he thought of their imminent departure, Volga began to wonder what the Ordona Kingdom was like. He'd heard of it before, and read about it in some of the books King Dodongo had requested be given to him; but beyond knowing that it was a small province consisting mostly of farming villages in the plains and hunting villages in the more mountainous areas, he hadn't a clue what to expect.

So he decided that now was as good a time as any to learn what he could.

Glancing briefly to his new charge, he began to voice the questions that had lingered in the back of his mind. “Might I ask, Princess, what you can tell me about Ordona? I'm afraid my knowledge of it is severely limited, and I'd like to know more.”

“Of course,” she replied with a smile. “Like the other kingdoms, Ordona was named after the ancient light spirit that is said to live in the region. The spirit hasn't been seen since the Era of Twilight, when he aided the Hero in his cause; but it is believed that if you take the time to meditate within the spirit's spring, you will find that its presence still lingers there,” she said, a thoughtful look on her features. “I don't know if it's true, but it wouldn't surprise me if it is.”

It made sense that a kingdom would be named after a great being that had played a part in Hyrule's salvation during one of its darkest eras. He could appreciate that mankind honored their saviors of the past, as the Reptilians were very like-minded in that regard. It was considered highly disrespectful and ungrateful to ignore the sacrifices made on another's behalf. The Clan did its best to remember the names of their fallen brethren, along with the deities that had blessed them with divine protection; and for him to see that at least some Humans would do the same was something he could respect.

“I see. And what about its people? What are they like?” he asked, finding that his curiosity continued to grow.

The Princess continued with another kind smile. “Most of them are fairly reserved farmers and hunters, but they aren't unkind. They're quick to help when needed, and sometimes even when it's not. But they also value their privacy, so it's wise not to go digging around for any more personal history than they tell you about to begin with.”

He couldn't help but raise a brow with a slight quirk in his lips. “You may not say much, but your tone belies your fondness of it. Is Ordona that enjoyable?”

“Oh, well... I can't deny that it's one of my favorite places to visit,” she confirmed somewhat sheepishly. “It's very peaceful there, and I've yet to see another area with a more simple charm to it. I doubt my descriptions and praise do it justice, really; but you'll see for yourself soon enough.”

“I doubt I'll be able to see everything it has to offer before we set off again,” he replied, “and surely there are particular places one should visit before leaving.”

He received a teasing glance. “I hope you aren't planning on sightseeing for the duration of the war?” she asked, her tone light. “As much as I can appreciate your enthusiasm, I don't think either of us would want our cause of death to be stated as 'inattentive bodyguard died taking in the view.”

“I make no promises, Milady,” he stated with a grin. “One such as myself can't help but appreciate the wonders of a new place.”

“I thought warriors lived for battle? I wouldn't think that kind of occupation allowed much time for enjoying the scenery,” she replied, side-eyeing him with a bemused expression.

“Of course it does,” he scoffed. “You just have to look fast enough.”

He could tell it took some effort for her to refrain from either rolling her eyes or sighing, but he was pleased to see that she couldn't keep a mirthful grin from spreading across her features.

“You're not fond of losing, are you?” she stated more than asked, shaking her head.

With a thoughtful look, he pretended to consider it for a moment, before finally responding. “Hm... no, not particularly. How could you tell?”

“Lucky guess,” she answered with a hint of sarcasm as she stopped to observe the campsite.

One glance showed that everything had been taken care of, save for a few items that were quickly disappearing into sacks, saddle bags and satchels, which meant that they would be leaving shortly. While he no longer felt as tense as he had earlier, he still held no desire to linger, so to see that the resumption of their journey was close at hand eased some of his remaining apprehension. Still, he doubted that any amount of distance would quell the unease that had settled in his bones, as the appearance of the strange locations made it all the more evident that Cia's plan, whatever it may be, was progressing. How far exactly was anyone's guess.

He heard the Princess begin muttering to herself as she surveyed the area, likely listing off everything they'd needed to pack. When she seemingly finished, she started anew to double check, while he listened despite the fact that she wasn't speaking to him. A bad habit at times, he knew, but one that was no easier to break than any other he'd picked up during his childhood. It wasn't as if he could help it anyway, as heightened senses didn't allow much room for selective hearing; and he couldn't very well tune the whole world out when he was supposed to remain alert to potential dangers.

Especially since it was his sole job now...

But he could only assume it was by the fates' design that he'd been given the position, though he didn't feel particularly favored considering the inevitability of what was to come. In the dark corners of his mind, he wondered if his bloodline existed solely to play the pawns in someone else's twisted game. _'I suppose everyone involved in war feels that way at some point. The difference is they don't have their bodies forcibly bent to the will of another,'_ he mused in melancholy. Before his thoughts could consume him further, however, the Princess stopped mumbling and turned to face him.

“I believe we're finally ready,” she said with a hint of relief. “We should see if King Ezu is finished as well.”

“Indeed. And the sooner we do so, the better,” he replied, warily glancing around. “I can't stand being as close as we are to that island. It just doesn't feel right.”

“Agreed,” the Princess said as she began leading them through the camp once more. “That might be due to knowing that the source isn't a friendly one. But there's also the possibility that enemy forces are up there to make record of our movements. No matter the answer, I don't want to remain here with the limited number of Generals we have.”

Volga followed closely, a question beginning to form as he considered her last statement. “Are we really so few? I'm aware that we're spread out a bit, but surely we aren't that small in number.”

He was honestly curious. Against his better judgment, he hadn't taken the time to make note of exactly how many soldiers they marched with. He knew that the entirety of the Hyrulean Army was with them, save for the few that remained at Castle Town, though there was no telling how many casualties there had been after the attack.

“Make no mistake, if we truly are facing an infinite amount of monsters, then we have no chance as we are now. These men are capable, of that there is no doubt; but if we're going to find a way to stem the flow of enemy forces, then we need more Generals to lead them. King Ezu, Prince Loka and I can give orders, but we can't do so nearly as easily when we're all scattered about the battlefield. And now that you've been promoted to bodyguard, you won't be able to devote yourself to leading a group of soldiers without Impa breathing down your neck upon her return,” the Princess paused with a sigh. “I wouldn't have any problems with it, but I'm afraid I don't have much say in the matter.”

“I think you're right in that she wouldn't take kindly to the idea...” he agreed thoughtfully, then looked to her in puzzlement, “but you're the Princess... don't your orders overrule hers?”

“It's a complicated matter,” she replied with a grimace. “I am Hyrule's Princess, but I've yet to become its Queen. In a manner of speaking, I do make all of the final decisions for the kingdom, and guide it as its ruler. However, since an official coronation hasn't been held, and thus I haven't taken my position upon the throne, I'm not officially recognized as the Queen of Hyrule, but rather its acting Queen, if you will,” she explained, then continued at his nod. “Because of this, there are still laws that I must obey until the proper arrangements have been made. Impa, being of the Sheikah Tribe, was born under the employment of the royal family. She is required to heed any request or order that is given to her by the King or Queen, no matter the circumstances. However, she's only required to follow the Prince or Princess's orders to a certain extent. If she determines that an order I've given her is completely out of turn, be it in regard to my safety or it's simply too ridiculous, by law she can overrule or ignore it.”

“That sounds rather unusual... I thought being a royal meant you had the final say? I've yet to see anyone put a stop to Prince Loka's outrageous behavior...” he questioned with a slight scowl.

“That's because it's a law that only applies to the Hyrulean royalty,” she explained with bemused exasperation. “My grandfather passed the law during my mother's youth. I don't know what happened exactly, but Father told me that she often caused trouble. Whenever her bodyguard or servants tried to stop her, she would remind them of her rank and demand they stay out of it. My grandfather finally learned of this when Mother got herself into something serious, so he made the law. After that, she calmed down and started to act more properly, but the law remained in place for future generations.”

Volga smirked, and gave her a knowing glance. “Such as...?”

The Princess sighed. “Yes, _such as_ myself,” she replied. “You know, I could have you do something you find unpleasant...”

His mirth grew. “And I could simply choose not to do so, now that I know of your law. I thank you for the information, by the way.”

“I _knew_ I'd regret telling you that,” she huffed. “I just hoped it wouldn't be this soon.”

“I'm afraid it's too late now. I'll be sure to keep this conversation in mind for future reference,” he said teasingly.

“I know,” she sighed once more, shaking her head.

He chuckled as he looked around to see if King Ezu was anywhere nearby. They had finally reached the other side of camp; and judging by the saddled horses and lack of tents, the Lanayruan Army was ready. Within moments of noting this, Volga spotted the King approaching them.

“Princess, I was just on my way to find you,” he told them. “Have you finished your preparations?”

The Princess nodded. “Indeed we have. I take it you've finished as well?” she asked with a quick glance around.

“We're ready to set out as soon as the word is given,” King Ezu replied.

“Excellent. Our own horses should be ready by now, so we can continue onward to Ordona, hopefully without any interference,” the Princess said.

The King nodded. “In that case, we'll follow you,” he said, then turned to face the Lanayruan soldiers. “Alright men, mount up!”

Before the last word had even left his mouth, the Knights had lifted themselves into the saddle, loyally awaiting King Ezu's next command as he mounted as well. Wordlessly, the Princess turned around and started to head towards her own army, while Volga trailed slightly behind, carefully observing their surroundings. Soon enough, the Princess and the Hyrulean soldiers had mounted as well, with only a few infantry groups and himself on the ground. Once assured that everyone was ready, the Princess urged Deza onward.

“Let's move out!” she called as she picked up a decent pace, while he remained at her side. The Hyrulean soldiers fell into position without fail as they followed, just as eager to leave as the royals were.

As they left, Volga occasionally glanced over his shoulder, seeing that the island, or Skyloft as they suspected, still remained in the same place, quiet and dormant, with no sign of movement to indicate the presence of life. This was a fact that left him on edge, as Cia had wasted no time launching her attacks before. At least, not in his experience. But he supposed he shouldn't count on her being too predictable just yet; she'd fought against him with a weapon and magic he'd never seen before, and while he loathed to admit it, she had caught him completely off guard, and had defeated him within minutes.

It may not have given him enough insight into her form of combat, but it had left the impression that she didn't like to let an opportunity slip by, so for her magic to be present but non-threatening gave him a sense of foreboding. He hoped that by the time Captain Impa returned and their other allies joined them, they'd have enough support to warrant coming back to investigate. If the place hadn't become a summoner's base or something by then. Of course, they'd probably have to investigate anyway, even if it did...

There was only one way to discover what the unknown actually was, after all.

Which meant dangerous situations would be involved, and he'd been trained for those. That didn't mean he had to like the idea, though. King Dodongo had instilled in his pupil the desire to know the details of a situation before taking action, and it had served him well during his life with the Clan. Sure, they would more than likely do some digging before they actually went to investigate, but he doubted whether or not it'd be enough. But he wouldn't know until the moment arrived, which wouldn't be happening for awhile yet.

 _'In the meantime, I'll just have to keep everything in check,'_ he mused. _'Perhaps I should invest in a journal, and keep a record of everything we've learned. Maybe then I could start to piece things together and find out just what that Sorceress is after...'_

Yes, the Princess and King Ezu probably had more than enough people to keep them informed on all of this, himself included now; but he had information they didn't know, and couldn't know lest he ever felt the sudden desire to be imprisoned. So no, he couldn't afford to let anyone find out. He needed to write down what he alone knew, and reference it with any information they already had, or obtained in the future. If he was able to break her spell before she completely turned him into a puppet, he'd gladly share his findings with the others; but there was no guarantee of that. If nothing else, it may help him uncover her motive for starting all of this, since it was becoming very evident that whatever it was she sought, she certainly intended to get it.

The lengths she would go to do so were still unknown; but she'd already gone rather far in the last few days, more so than she had during his stay at the castle. Then again, he supposed that was to be expected. He was her insight into the royalty's plans, and he wondered if he should take care to mind his words. If she could see through his eyes without his knowledge, then nothing they came up with would work. For all he knew, she was reading his thoughts as well, so she may very well already have a backup plan.

He did have reason to doubt it, though. She’d been quick to show her power over him the moment he was beaten. This gave him the impression that if she were aware of his intentions, she'd have quickly made herself known to him. Maybe even going so far as to constantly keep him reminded of her awareness. But as things stood now, this was no more than speculation.

He sighed. There was no point in continuing that train of thought, as all it currently led to was a dead end; but he couldn't keep the memory of his first encounter with the Sorceress out of mind. She was different than most of the leaders he'd heard of in old war stories. He highly doubted this was some form of rebellion, nor did she resemble the kind of people found in mercenary or bandit groups. He'd come across a few of both before, and he'd quickly learned that everyone involved had a certain look and scent about them. Mercenaries held the scent of certain minerals from the rupees they earned, and more frequently held the scent of cleanliness than bandits, depending on the individual. Despite this and the familial bond some groups shared, he could still see the egotistical gleam in their eyes. But it was drastically different when it came to bandits. The only word to describe the unpleasant smell that wafted from them in droves was 'greed'. If there was any scent that could accompany that term, it was the stench of blood, filth and drink mixed in with fine silks, priceless artworks and old tomes that reeked of a professional's preservation magics and treatments, all kept as clean as the thieves could manage in order to sell the items on the streets.

Cia was different. Her greed, her desire, was as clear as day. But what she sought? He didn't know. She held the air of knowledge, of power, and walked with confidence behind each step. But with all that those things could accomplish, for some reason she’d decided to use them for Hyrule's destruction. As he considered this, he remembered that there was a more specific goal she had in mind. But what was it...?

As the memory of his defeat shifted through his mind, it struck him. She had said she wished for the Princess to be destroyed, not Hyrule. That was why he was here in the first place. If she'd wanted to conquer the kingdom, then she could've used him on the frontlines, but instead she sent him here. Sure, it would be easier for her to do if the Princess wasn't there; but when she'd given the order, she'd made it sound... personal. As if Hyrule mattered little to her, and she only wanted the Princess gone...

But again, why? Did the Princess know her? Was there history between them or their families, like some sort of blood feud? Or perhaps one had been slighted by the other in their youth... but if any of this was true, then why hadn't the Princess mentioned the possibility? Surely if there was someone that had a personal hatred towards her, especially one that had festered over the years, then the Princess would be aware of it... unless it was one-sided, and the two had never met before. Cia could very well be someone, even as a foreigner, who disliked the Princess's actions enough to start a war; but that begged the question of why it would matter to her. If she was a foreigner, then Hyrule's laws, and therefore the Princess's rule, had no effect on her. So that wasn't likely either. Of course, it could be that the strange woman just hated her that much...

A frustrated growl escaped him. It seemed that there weren't any answers to be found yet; but at least he knew that no matter what caused it, Cia held a grudge toward Hyrule's heir. If it was deep enough, then there was a chance that she would be sending enemies straight for the Princess regardless of his own presence; and it wouldn't matter to the sorceress if he failed to protect her or not. If he did fail, then the Princess would be gone; and if he didn't, then that would place him higher in the young woman's regard. Thus, Cia's plans would progress one way or the other. Which meant that he needed to set to work as soon as they reached Ordona, or rather, Deya Village as King Ezu had called it.

 _'But how, exactly?'_ he thought with a frown. _'Seeing as I'm a bodyguard now, I highly doubt I'll be able to run off without being questioned, unless the Princess sends me somewhere herself. The army is still fairly uncertain of me as things are now, and I don't need to give them or the Princess any reason to doubt me.'_

So, that was out of the question.

He suddenly found himself wishing they hadn't needed to leave the camp site so soon. The more he learned, the more he realized just how careful he would have to be to get himself untangled from this mess. It made him wish he could get some training in, if only to clear his mind enough to reevaluate his options. _'Maybe all the walking we're about to do will help. If not, I'll just have to try and get some training done before the day is over,'_ he thought hopefully. _'Though there might be some work to be done by the time we make camp.'_

If that ended up being true, then perhaps he would go ahead and look over his armor and spear. He was certain the former was fine, though it wouldn't hurt to glance over it; but he was more concerned about the state of his weapon. It had held up fine in the last battle; but it had been awhile since he last sharpened it or inspected the grip, so he imagined it was time for it to be tended to. Besides, King Dodongo would kill him if he found that his pupil hadn't even done something so basic as maintain his weapon's good condition...

…

If King Dodongo had survived, that is...

Volga suddenly felt homesick, the desire to return to his Clan settling into his bones with a soft touch that morphed into a pressing weight. His worry for their well-being appeared in the form of doubts, whispering in the back of his mind with a venom only fear could inflict. But he knew that was exactly why he should ignore it. That line of thinking was poison, and his Clan would accuse him of doubting their skills should they ever find out.

No, it would be best if he focused on the matters at hand. He would just have to be patient until he was given the chance to check on them. He probably wouldn't be satisfied until he saw them for himself anyway.

This solution, while not the most ideal, eased his doubts enough for him to let it go for now. He would take solace in his knowledge of their skills, and hope to find them well upon his return. But for that to happen, he had to work his way out of Cia's grasp, before he no longer had the option. And if she thought for even the briefest moment that he would simply submit himself to her will with no resistance…

Then she would soon learn that he wasn't called the Dragon Knight for nothing.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zelda sighed in exhaustion.

The day had been long and tiring, but they had finally found a decent place to set up camp for the night. After taking care of some minor issues, she had gone to find King Ezu in order to discuss when they should depart the next day, as neither of them wanted anything similar to that morning's events to occur again. Having quickly come to an agreement with him, she now made her way back to the center of camp, where the evening's meal was being prepared, and where she assumed Volga would reluctantly be, as she'd told him he didn't have to accompany her for a five-minute conversation. He was more dedicated to his job than she imagined he would be, and she couldn't deny that Impa had been right.

It didn't take long for the uproarious laughter to reach her, bringing a smile to her face. It was good that the Knights seemed to be handling everything well, as they had been trained to do; and that they could have a few moments of enjoyment despite the catastrophe that had taken place in their absence. But this also brought a twinge of sorrow to her heart. Ever since her father's passing, it was difficult for her to forget that such moments wouldn't last, especially given the circumstances. She knew she shouldn't dwell on that fact, and instead appreciate them when they occurred... and normally, she could. It was just harder to do, at the moment...

She sighed again.

If only she could wish upon a single star, and watch all of their troubles fade away; just like in the stories the King had often lulled her to sleep with, when she was a child. But those were mere fairytales, no matter her regard for them and the memories they held; even so, she would always be grateful for the hope they could inspire.

Returning from her musings as she neared the campfire, she glanced over just in time to see the Knights, most of whom she recognized, nod their acknowledgment to her, which she gladly responded to with her own. But after a quick glance, she found that her bodyguard wasn't there with them. She frowned lightly, and began to look around once more. This time, however, she found him within seconds.

He had, (quite intentionally, she assumed) placed himself on a nearby rock formation that was well away from the others, but still close enough for the firelight to flicker across his face, casting shadows that further exaggerated his features, including the black marking he bore. His helmet had been set aside, and she idly wondered who had designed and assembled his set of armor, as intricate as it was, and how they had managed to cut the emerald eyes so precisely. As she began to approach him, she noticed he was working on his weapon. He expertly ran a dark stone across the edge of the cut bone that served as the spear's blade, taking great care as he did so, and only briefly pausing to inspect his work before resuming the task.

Smiling as she neared, she found herself asking, “You're not joining the others?”

He briefly glanced at her with a scoff, though she could see a hint of a smirk. “I believe you already know the reason,” he replied.

Indeed, she did. And while she knew he had his reasons, she still couldn't help but wonder why. What had happened to him, for him to completely ignore his Human heritage? Though she supposed he didn't completely deny it... but he still didn't call himself as such. It didn't make sense to her, for him to both acknowledge and deny his bloodline and resulting appearance at the same time.

“You know, I don't mean to intrude by asking this, but...” she hesitated until he gave her a questioning look as her signal to continue, “why do you refer to people as 'Humans', when you are one yourself? At least, partially,” she asked carefully.

When a slight scowl crossed his features, she feared that she'd angered him; but upon closer inspection, she realized he looked more frustrated than anything else, though his dislike of the topic was apparent.

After a moment, he sighed. “Milady, I mean no disrespect, but I'm afraid that the answer to your question lies in a time that I'd rather not revisit...” he replied. Though he spoke softly, there was a harder edge to his tone.

“Ah, my apologies,” she quickly responded. “I don't mean to pry, I just...”

As he carefully inspected his weapon, he spoke again. “You're curious, and I can understand that. But there are some things that are best left forgotten.”

“Of course. I won't ask you to elaborate,” she began. “It's just that I've heard stories about you for as long as I can remember, but that's all they were. I always knew there was likely some truth to them, but I never thought I'd actually meet you,” she explained sheepishly.

He seemed to relax as he looked to her with curiosity. “I always knew there were rumors, but I didn't realize they had traveled so far. But I suppose I should've guessed, since Prince Loka mentioned something of it,” he set the stone down beside him, beginning to inspect his spear's grips more closely as his expression turned into one of bemusement. “I'm curious, what sort of wild tales were spun of me all the way into the halls of Hyrule Castle?”

She paused for a moment as she tried to recall the first time she'd heard of him. She wasn't surprised that he inquired, but she'd half expected him to scoff and keep to his work. After all, why would he take an interest in Human gossip when he cared little for them to begin with? But perhaps he didn't mind their stories as much as he did their company... “Well, I remember hearing of a boy, one who could supposedly bend fire to his will, disappearing from his village, despite being under the watchful eye of the villagers. Over the following months, the village lost many buildings to numerous fires that seemed to start on their own, thus the elders claimed the boy's spirit was punishing them for their negligence. Was that you?”

Volga shook his head as he finished his inspection. “No. I've heard of that happening to people of all kinds, usually those claimed by others to have an affinity for elemental magic, as a lot of them just up and leave. Even if it was, my memory only stretches as far back as my first day in the caves, so I wouldn't be able to tell you.”

“I see... that is unfotunate...” she replied, downcast.

He shrugged. “At times, yes. But there isn't much that can be done about it now,” he said, laying his spear to the side in order to pick up his helmet.

She watched him for a moment, before finally asking. “Haven't you ever thought of looking for them? Your parents?”

A thoughtful expression crossed his face. “There were a few times I considered it. But since I never remembered anything about them, I had nothing of them to hold onto, and thus I never really had a reason to leave.” This time, there was only a factual tone to his reply.

“That is understandable...” she conceded, looking off to the side. “It's just that my father was the biggest influence in my life, and to think that so many others never had that... is disheartening.”

After a moment, he nodded in agreement. “It's a sad truth, but one that I've made peace with. And though they may not be so biologically, I still have a family of sorts,” he replied, setting his helmet back down as he turned to look at her. “While it would be nice to know who they were and what happened, I'm not sure it would amount to much. They would still be strangers to me.”

“Yes, that is true,” she replied. She couldn't fathom the idea of never knowing her parents; but she could understand why he felt that way, at least a little bit. After all, even if she learned the reason behind her mother's disappearance, Queen Ilia would be a stranger to her as well. The only difference being that she still retained some memory of the Queen, whereas the Dragon Knight recalled nothing.

It was strange to her that he didn't seem to mind having unknown origins. She rarely asked about her mother, mostly because of the effect the Queen's memory had on her father and Impa, who were the only two people who really knew her. But even when she did, they hardly said anything. That never stopped her from wanting to know, but no matter how much she wished to uncover the truth, she couldn't very well abandon her father or the responsibilities that came with being the heir to Hyrule's throne. So she remained, and hoped that one day they might be able to tell her more.

But they never did, and she was left without any answers. Until...

“Milady?”

Zelda snapped from her reverie, only to feel a small wave of embarrassment at the quizzical look that was directed at her.

“Ah, pardon me...” she replied sheepishly. “I was lost in thought...”

“It's fine, you just seemed...” he paused, then shook his head. “Never mind. But before I forget, was there something you needed from me?”

He didn't seem annoyed or exasperated, just curious as to why she was there. She wouldn't deny that she wanted to learn more about him, as she'd been told for the longest time that he was just a myth, born from the overactive imaginations of frightened villagers, even though many strange things existed in their world. But despite this, she actually had sought him out for more important matters.

“I remembered you mentioning that torch you and Link saw last night, so I decided that I would make a few rounds around camp to see if it turns up again. And since I know firsthand what the Captain is like when orders aren't followed, I came to inform you of this decision and spare the both of us from her scolding,” she answered with a bright smile.

Amusement settled onto his features. “Very generous of you, but I'm certain I can handle her well enough.”

“I thought the same thing when I was a child,” she replied, shaking her head.

“What changed your mind?” he asked, his mirth ever present.

“She started notching ice arrows,” she said with a grimace.

“Ice arrows...?” he echoed in skepticism, but also with a hint of consideration. “She used ice arrows... against the Princess of Hyrule?”

Growing quiet, she recalled the memory.

_“If you can dodge these arrows as easily as you've tried to shirk your duties, then perhaps I'll consider forgiving the lack of discipline you've displayed!”_

There was a sharp glare cast by fiery irises, emphasized by the draw of a bowstring.

_“This time...”_

Zelda nodded. “Yes. Yes she did. I wasn't very fond of our training sessions at first.”

“Imagine that,” Volga huffed. “And the King didn't reprimand her for this?”

“Not at all. Father requested that she train me as she would a Sheikah, and keep him informed of my progress, so he was well aware of the circumstances,” she replied, then shook her head. “But that is a story for another day. For now, I think it'd be best if we began our patrol.”

He stood, grabbed his helmet and spear, then turned to her with a nod. “I'll follow you then.”

Returning his nod, she turned and began to walk in the direction of the camp's perimeter as he quickly came to stand at her side.

They made their way around the camp in comfortable silence. As she glanced at her surroundings, she idly wondered if things would ever return to normal. Everything was happening so fast that she could barely manage to keep up, only to fall behind again with the next obstacle fate seemed eager to provide. Had she failed in some way, to deserve these events; or was she to answer for her father's shortcomings in his stead? Then again, perhaps this is what she'd been trained for. She knew the stories of the Triforce, and the three goddesses who created it, and seeing as both she and Link each held a piece of the sacred relic, their respective roles in the war were clear.

However, this brought her to another question. If she and Link were destined to be there, there was no doubt that they would meet the bearer of the Triforce of Power in due time. She could understand Impa's part as she was a leader of the Sheikah, a tribe sworn to serve the royal family. But what she didn't understand, was Volga's presence. Why was a man from the Eldin Caves, said to be no more than a myth, fighting alongside them in a war that was not his own? Yes, he wanted to take fate into his own hands, he'd said as much, but what led him to this decision?

Perhaps she didn't need to question it, and she'd rather not if she were being honest, as he hadn't done anything wrong to her or anyone else. But she knew Impa was still wary, and she couldn't just ignore that. For now, though, she would continue to give him the benefit of the doubt and rely on him, especially now that the circumstances had changed.

Even Impa had conceded that point. Whether she outright said it or not, she knew what she was asking of both of them when she asked him to take the position. She doubted that the Sheikah Captain would have done so if she believed he held any ill will towards them. But on the other hand, Impa wasn't always that easy to read. For all she knew, the woman had assigned him to her as a test of sorts, to see what he would do. Zelda could never be sure... at least, not until Impa informed her of her findings.

The Princess would have puzzled over this further, if she hadn't spotted the green clad hero coming into view. She noted that he seemed alert, his attention focused intently on something ahead of him, and as such he was seemingly unaware of their approach. As they drew nearer, she saw him turn his head ever so slightly in their direction, but that was the only indication that he'd noticed them. _'Perhaps the torch has already shown up again? That would explain his stern expression...'_ she mused to herself.

Upon finally reaching him, Link glanced at them with a small, but kind smile. “Your Highness, Volga,” he nodded to each of them, though he made sure to add a quick salute in the Princess's direction. “What are the two of you doing on this side of camp? Is there something you needed?”

They both nodded in return. “Actually, yes,” Zelda replied with a smile of her own. “I came to ask you about the torch you saw the other night, and recruited Volga to come with me.”

“Ah, I see,” he said, then looked back out towards the surrounding fields. “Well, you're just in time. It's out there right now,” he explained, gesturing to the area he'd been watching.

Zelda and Volga turned to look, and sure enough, a lone torch was lit a fairly large distance away. She watched it for a moment, knowing that she wouldn't be able to see much from their position. “How long has it been there?” she asked.

“Since I relieved the last watchman. I asked him if he'd seen anyone light it, but he was just as surprised to see it there as I was. Whoever's lighting it may have already figured out our guard routines,” Link replied, his wariness showing through. “I'd like to investigate, but at the same time it could be a trap.”

In her peripheral vision, she saw Volga cross his arms. “Or the enemy's way of tracking us,” he said. “We won't know for sure until we take a look ourselves. The problem is, if we wait too long to do so, we'll be too late to prevent any threats it may pose.”

“Right,” Link nodded, then glanced her way. “So what do you think we should do?” he asked.

She frowned as she mentally listed the points they had made, eyeing the light that flickered in the field ahead of them with uncertainty, as each conclusion was very possible. On one hand, she didn't want to risk getting a closer look if it could be a trap; but on the other, if it was an enemy tracking method, she couldn't just let it be. So, even though she wasn't fond of the idea, it would be best if they dealt with it as soon as they were able, since either way everyone's lives could be in danger.

But what was the safest way for them to investigate?

 _'We can't just send a group out there. But I can't just send one soldier into a potential trap. I'd rather go myself than do that,'_ she thought. _'Yes, that would probably be best. I know the soldiers can hold their own, but if there's any magic involved I'll be better equipped to handle it.'_

The problem with that, though, was that being the heir to a kingdom meant that everyone around you, no matter their rank, was determined to place your well being above all else, even at the risk of attack. Probably one of her least favorite things that came with the title. It was possible that she could convince them to let her go anyway, though likely on the condition that someone else go with her; and the most logical and inevitable answer to that would be Volga. She wondered how devoted he was to his job in comparison to her title, and if she could order him to stay, if only so he wouldn't be at risk as well. But she highly doubted that, and even if she could, no one would allow it unless she really stood firm on the matter.

And in all honesty, she knew it would only be a waste of time.

With this in mind, she spoke. “I think Volga and I should inspect it ourselves. I would prefer to go alone, as I don't wish to put anyone else at risk,” she said, turning to look at the Dragon Knight. “But I know that I will not win that argument, and since accompanying me is already part of your job, I believe this is the best course of action.”

“I'm sorry your Highness, but I have to disagree,” Link replied, expression wary, but determined. “Whether it's harmless or not, you can't just walk out there. Why not let me go instead? I can manage long enough to get a good look,” he suggested.

“I don't think anyone should go alone. Someone or something could be hiding out there, so it'll be better to have support,” Zelda explained with a furrowed brow. “I know my way around the magic arts, and have thus built up a good resistance to it. If it has anything to do with magic, I won't be as susceptible to injury... But, if you have been trained in the arts as well, I will concede.”

Link sighed, shaking his head. “I haven't. I can withstand it better than most, but only for a little while...”

She nodded. “Then I will-”

“If I may interject.”

They both turned to Volga, who had finally spoken up again.

“Milady, I think you should let me go-” he began.

“But-”

 _"First,”_ He held up a hand to placate her. “Let me go first. So I can make sure it's safe, while you follow behind me. I understand and admire your devotion to your soldiers; but as you said, this is part of my job. Allow me to walk a fair distance ahead of you, take a look at the torch, and make sure there's no threat. Then, you can join me and look it over yourself,” he finished, raising an eyebrow in question.

Zelda paused, thinking over his suggestion. Looking between him and Link with a slowly resigning gaze, she asked, “Would this ease each of your worries?”  
  
Volga nodded resolutely, and after a moment, Link did as well.

“Very well, I'll go along with it,” she relented, then added in a tone of finality. “But I won't be stepping aside if something goes wrong.”

“Fair enough,” the Dragon Knight replied.

Link looked between the two of them, as she had before. “Are you sure you should go now, when it's this dark?” he asked.

“This might be the only time we’ll be able to get a decent look at it. It’ll likely be gone by morning, and there’s no way for us to know if it’ll appear again tomorrow night. We’d best seize the opportunity while we can,” Volga replied, then looked to the Princess. “But of course, the final decision in this regard is yours to make.”

She turned her gaze back to the distant, flickering light. Since they knew nothing of its origin or the reason behind its presence, going out there this soon might not be the most ideal course of action. However, Volga had already said earlier that it wouldn’t be a good idea to wait too long, and she was inclined to agree. With this last thought, she turned back to them. “We’ll investigate now. I don’t want to leave it alone without confirming that it’s harmless; and we don’t want to give it, or whoever’s behind it, the chance to become an actual threat. We’ll just have to proceed carefully.”

Each of them nodded, then Link spoke. “Alright then. I’ll see if I can find a spyglass, so I can get a better look. That way, you’ll have an extra pair of eyes, and I can warn you if I notice anything strange,” he stated.

Zelda nodded with a small smile. “Good idea. We’ll wait until you find one before we go out there. I’m sure they have a few in the cargo wagons. Just try to get back soon; we don’t know when the torch will be retrieved.”

With a nod of his own, Link hurried off to search the wagons, while Zelda turned her gaze back to the torch. She dearly hoped it would turn out to be something harmless, perhaps a signal from the Gorons or Zoras, rather than something of their enemy’s design. There were a lot of uncertainties, but the sooner they found the answers they needed, the sooner they could tackle them. She was stirred from her musings when Volga moved to stand at her side, glancing at her questioningly.

“So, do you have a backup plan?” he asked, following her gaze to the flame.

She frowned lightly. “I’m not so sure anything would work in this situation, other than to retreat if something seems amiss, and tell the army to make haste for Deya Village should a threat arise, no matter if we’re injured or worse. If I become incapacitated, Impa is more than capable of taking over for as long as required,” she explained.

“A reasonable assessment. But are you sure Impa will be around to do so?”

“Yes. I have no doubts that we’ll be able to regroup with everyone once we reach Ordona, including the tribes. Impa might not be there right away, but I’m certain we’ll see her soon.”

“Speaking of that, where will we go from there?” Volga asked. “Do we really know where the enemy is located?”

“We have an idea, but not an exact location. Once we get the injured settled down and give Impa time to catch up before we leave, we’ll be heading for Faron to meet up with the army there,” she replied.

“So, I assume we’ll be accumulating a large military faction from the combined armies of each region?” he asked with a raised brow.

She nodded. “Precisely. Each kingdom has agreed to forming a full alliance; and luckily for us, some of them will meet us along the way rather than waiting in their respective regions.”

“That’s a little surprising. I thought it would be a more formal thing entirely,” he replied.

“Well,” she began with a thoughtful look, “normally there’d be an official meeting held at the Temple of the Goddesses, which lies in the heart of our continent. During times of great importance, when each region has been or will be affected by certain events, the rulers and some of the citizens of each kingdom gather at the temple to pray to the goddesses for guidance, before making any advancements in pursuit of their shared goal. In times of crisis, they pray for the safety of the people and the soldiers, as well as the defeat of their adversary. But since the attacks occurred so suddenly, we decided to make the announcements locally, then head for the temple with the entirety of the joint army before we begin our first official counterattack. This way no civilians will be at high risk, and we can buy more time to pinpoint a location.”

“A wise decision,” he agreed, glancing at her in question again. “What about times of peace then? Is it merely left alone?”

“It depends really. For instance, if a crisis ends, or is averted altogether, they will gather again to give thanks, and pray for continued peace and prosperity; whereas, if there is an alliance of kingdoms through marriage, they’ll ask that the union be blessed, and that the couple remain steadfast throughout their shared life. After either ceremony, everyone returns to the nearby village for a less formal celebration. How long it lasts varies, but it never exceeds three days. Afterwards, everyone simply returns home,” she answered.

“Well, it’s good that it still sees use, even when times are easier,” he mused.

She nodded. “Yes, it’s important to many,” she said, then turned to look at him quizzically. “What about you? Is there something similar in Reptilian culture?”

She watched as he paused thoughtfully. “We know of the goddesses, of course,” he said slowly, “but it is believed that there are another three who guide the Reptilians.”

At this, her curiosity grew. “Another three? Who are they?”

Volga began to respond; but before he could, Link jogged up to them.

“I found one,” he said, holding up a simple spyglass. “Honestly, I’m surprised we have so many of them…”

Zelda turned to the green clad man. “Excellent. Are you sure you’ll be able to see anything coming? It’ll be getting dark soon.”

“As long as you have a bright enough light source with you,” he replied, looking at Volga. “And from what I’ve heard, you should be able to help with that, right?”

The Dragon Knight gave a nod. “I can. But once I start using it, we’ll be that much more noticeable,” he said, glancing to her.

“True…” she paused thoughtfully. “So we’ll need a backup plan in case we get attacked. And since there’ll be a fair distance between us and the army, it might be best if we avoid engaging in direct combat.”

“Right. I can put out the flame without much worry, since I can see a little better than most at night; but it will mean that until you get closer to camp, you’ll be fighting blind,” he replied.

“I can manage,” she stated, watching the flame intently for a moment, before turning to look at him. “Shall we?”

She watched as he nodded and stepped forward, walking a fair distance before motioning for her to follow.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everything was calm and quiet, save for the grass crunching beneath their feet; which only made him more determined to avoid falling into a false sense of security.

Ever since they’d stepped out into the field, Volga had been carefully surveying their surroundings. The near silence was unnerving; and while he hadn’t seen or heard anything potentially threatening, it still set him slightly on edge. His apprehension only increased with the knowledge that the torch still flickered brightly ahead of him, having remained undisturbed ever since they’d stepped away from camp.

His eyes narrowed as he watched the flame, then glanced around the area again. He could hear the Princess’ lighter footsteps a little ways behind him, as they’d agreed. To him, they were easy to pinpoint; but he knew that to anyone else, it’d be quite the opposite. The Captain had trained her well in that regard.

He’d learned to step lightly, of course, as King Dodongo made it clear that silence could be a valuable ally; and it certainly did wonders when he wore his armor. However, trying to completely eradicate the noise was futile, so he knew he couldn’t expect to remain unnoticed. At the very least, he’d left his helmet behind. While he wasn’t fond of doing so, Link had mentioned that it might reflect the light from the torch, which would do any enemy’s job for them, so he decided to set it aside.

He just hoped this wasn’t Cia’s doing. If she knew he intended to break the spell, and possibly seek aid in doing so, this could be the result of her decision to take matters into her own hands. And he couldn’t be certain until he looked closely enough… he had to make sure the Princess was well away before he actually approached it.

If she would listen, that is.

While her sense of comradery was admirable, he wasn’t sure she fully understood how vital her role was. Having been raised in the Eldin Caves, he came to the conclusion that being royalty was similar to being the patriarch of a Reptilian Clan. Civilians and soldiers alike looked to their kingdom’s royalty for guidance, and thus rallied behind them in times of crisis. Many would remain at home and allow their armies to handle the bloodshed, while others would choose to fight with them; and seeing as Hyrule’s only heir would be doing the latter, that meant that the kingdom’s fate would be sealed with hers.

Cia knew this.

But what was she after? He’d never heard of her, and he wasn’t sure anyone ever had until now. If conquering kingdoms was a pastime of hers, word would have spread like wildfire, considering Hyrule received visitors from every other kingdom, along with travelers that sailed here from other continents. Even if someone of a higher status felt it wasn’t worth mentioning, surely there would have been rumors making their way through the market streets and taverns. But why would she attack Hyrule, if not to claim its throne? He supposed it could be for its plethora of artifacts, but why would she need them for anything other than war and conquest?

 _‘Perhaps she seeks revenge?’_ he mused for a bit, then shook his head. _‘It would have to be quite a slight against her, for her to declare war on an entire kingdom… unless she was slighted by the Royal Family?’_

Now there was a thought. Perhaps the Princess or the King had made an enemy of her, whether they realized it or not. But he assumed that if they knew of her beforehand, her name would have been brought up by now; not to mention, she had a more… exotic look. He’d certainly never seen that kind of clothing or hair color when he’d occasionally ventured to the nearest town in Eldin, and the mask was especially strange. However, there’d be plenty of time for such contemplation later, for now he had a job to do, as they were finally nearing their objective.

He approached the unassuming torch slowly, quickly looking around the area as he waited for the first blade or arrow to strike out from the darkness. While his vision was better than most at night, it certainly wasn’t anywhere near to being on par with that of his Reptilian brethren; so the fact that he hadn’t seen anything yet, though a good sign, could only be considered more reliable to a point.

But when a few moments passed and no attempt was made on their lives, he walked closer to the torch to inspect the handle. It wasn’t uncommon for a more infamous group of bandits or mercenaries to carve their insignia into their tools, both as a sign of ownership where weapons or gear were concerned, and as part of an intimidation tactic; usually after targeting a valued resource, or assassinating a member of an opposing group.

Eldin had its fair share of them, to be sure.

He saw nothing of the sort though, much to his relief. Deeming the area safe enough, he motioned to the Princess, who had maintained some distance as they’d agreed, keeping a watchful eye as he did so. Within a few seconds, she was stepping past him to inspect it herself. Just as he had, she surveyed the surrounding area, then proceeded to inspect the handle closely. She was quiet for a moment as she glanced over the torch, before directing a question his way.

“Did you see any carvings?” she asked softly, her gaze still searching for any clue as to the item’s owner.

He shook his head, crossing his arms as he kept watch. “I didn’t see anything.”

“I see,” the Princess replied. 

She continued to examine the torch warily, until a look of realization spread across her face. “Wait a minute, that cloth…” she said, a hint of surprise in her tone. “it’s not charred. In fact, it looks completely intact.”

Now that was interesting. Volga leaned closer, and carefully observed the flame as it flickered gently. Sure enough, despite the heat of the blaze, the cloth was in pristine condition; and he noticed that there was no scent of rum, wine or mead, which meant that the cloth hadn’t been soaked in a flammable substance. At least, not one that he knew of.

Reaching out with his left hand, he held it over the flame, slowly moving it side to side. He repeated the motion a couple of times, and soon the top of the flame began to follow it, as if drawn to him. Then he pulled back, the small fire moving with him to settle in the palm of his hand, leaving the torch completely bare.

“So it’s a magical flame,” he muttered, scowling at it slightly. “But it doesn’t have the same feeling to it as that of our enemy.”

“How were you able to manipulate it so easily?” the Princess asked as she came to stand beside him. “I’d always thought each spell’s essence was tied to its caster, so it couldn’t be used by a separate person.”

“That is true, but only in the case of advanced spells. This, however, has to be a basic one, since I’m able to control it without difficulty. But I only know fire magic, so I can’t say if the same rules apply to the other elements,” he explained, then glanced to the seemingly unused torch on the ground. “That aside, we’re not much closer to understanding what’s happening here. Though, if the cloth wasn’t affected…”

Her eyes brightened in realization. “Then anything hidden beneath it wasn’t either,” she finished, turning to pick up the item. Unwrapping the cloth and setting it aside, she quickly inspected the torch once more. “And there it is,” she said triumphantly.

Volga leaned closer, making use of the flame he held. As they’d hoped, an insignia had been carved into the end, and the Princess frowned slightly as she moved so they could both see it clearly.

“It seems familiar… but I can’t recall where I’ve seen it,” she stated, lightly tracing the pattern before turning to look at him. “Do you recognize it?”

He studied it for a moment, but he found that it didn’t belong to any groups he knew of. The insignia wasn’t even remotely similar to any others he’d seen previously; but that was to be expected, as he’d only seen those from his own region. He shook his head with a scowl. “No. This isn’t the mark of an Eldin group. But you said it was familiar. Are you sure this isn’t from a local one?”

She nodded. “I’m sure. I see them too often to forget, so unless one of them had their insignia changed, this is probably a new group. Then again, I haven’t heard of any activity from an unknown band. Usually they cause a lot of trouble to announce themselves, but I haven’t heard anything other than the same reports I see every day. Arrests, leads, attacks, theft, but only in regards to the same people we’ve been trying to uproot for years.”

“Perhaps this is a Freelancer’s mark?” he suggested, though he doubted the likelihood of it.

“It’s possible…” she agreed, mulling over the idea for a moment, before shaking her head in resignation. “But I don’t think we’ll find any more answers here. We should head back to camp.”

He nodded, glancing to her. “What will you do with the torch then?”

“Take it back with us, see if anyone there recognizes the mark. And if they don’t, I’ll check any historical records we have with us and see if it turns up. We should take one last look around before we head back, though.”

Though wary from the lack of answers, Volga nodded in agreement, deciding to make use of the flame he held to see if there was anything he’d missed earlier.

Thankfully, it didn’t take long for them to search the area one last time.

But even though nothing had happened, Volga suddenly felt as if familiar eyes were upon them, yet he couldn’t sense the dark aura that accompanied the Sorceress, and he highly doubted any of his kin would come to the area, even if they were fleeing the caves. He supposed it was possible that he was imagining it, likely a result of his earlier concerns branching into paranoia. He wasn’t sure if that would be the case, however, as he usually wasn’t one to feel paranoid about things.

But that wasn’t to say that he was immune to it.

Naturally, he maintained a careful observance of their surroundings as they made their way back to camp, somewhat worried that the Sorceress might be near. But by the time they finally stepped back into the relative safety of the campsite, there’d been no sign of her.

As he began to consider going on a quick patrol, he noticed Link approaching them.

“So? What did you find?” he asked, looking apprehensive as he tried to figure out why they’d brought the torch back with them.

The Princess held out the item, pointing to the symbol. “We found this insignia, but we haven’t seen it before. Do you recognize it by any chance?” she asked in turn.

The young man observed the carving for a moment. “Well, it’s similar to what bandits or mercenaries do, but…” crossing his arms, he shook his head. “I’m afraid I’ve never seen this particular carving before.”

“Yes, I was afraid of that,” she replied, lowering the torch back to her side. “I’d like to assume it’s just another amateur group that’s come along, but I’m fairly certain that’s not the case.”

They both paused thoughtfully for a moment as Volga came to stand beside them, quietly watching them ponder the situation as he himself had been.

“What will you do now, then?” Link spoke, seemingly at a loss for their next course of action.

“I’m going to ask a few of the others if they might know of it; if not, I’ll have to try something else, or wait until we reach Deya Village,” the Princess explained.

“That’s a good idea,” Link agreed. “Between the three of us, a royal who can’t personally see to it, a guy who hasn’t lived here very long and another guy who won’t know because he was literally raised in a…” he paused, glancing over to gauge the Dragon Knight’s expression.

“Cave?” Volga offered as he raised a brow, somewhat amused.

“Yeah…” Link replied slowly, before continuing. “There’s just not much we can do right now.”

“Exactly,” Zelda nodded. “Which is why I’m going to start digging now, before we run into whoever’s behind this,” she added, then turned to the Dragon Knight. “Volga, could you look through the wagons for a journal with the Hyrulean crest painted on the cover? I’ve been using it for the past few years to keep track of the more influential groups; where they tend to stay, what they’re known for and how much of a threat they pose. It shouldn’t be hard to find.”

“Of course,” Volga replied, then glanced at Link. “If anything else shows up, let me know.”

“Sure thing,” the young man said as he returned to his post. “You two do the same, alright?”

“Will do,” the Princess agreed, before turning to walk in the opposite direction. “Once you have everything, meet me in the war tent. We can look over everything there.”

“Very well,” he nodded, quickly setting out to complete his task.

While he was disappointed that they hadn’t found much, he knew that what little they had come across would prove very useful if they could just find out who it represented.

But it made sense that the first few days of war would be the time that mercenaries were hired and bandits started lurking about more frequently. The chaos of Hyrule Castle’s destruction and its citizens abandoning Castle Town made for easy pickings left behind in the rubble, along with emptied homes and shops. Whatever didn’t get buried beneath the crumbled stone walls would be long gone by the time the owners returned; if the thieves could get past the hordes of monsters that no doubt lingered, that is.

Either way, he genuinely hoped the townspeople had escaped.

From their forlorn expressions and often glazed eyes, it was clear that the kingdom of Hyrule was held in high regard by its people, and the knowledge that their homes and families could be completely gone weighed heavily on them. Human or not, that was something he understood all too well…

Thankfully, it didn’t take him long to reach the wagons, and he didn’t hesitate to start sifting through their cargo in the hopes of finding the journal.

Though he mostly saw food, weapons and armor as he searched, there were a few tomes and scrolls lying about. The lack of them compared to everything else wasn’t surprising of course, seeing as there was simply too much that could go wrong if you brought a whole mountain of them with you on a war march; not to mention that any other copies of the books they might have were now buried along with anything else in the castle, if not completely destroyed.

And there was a good chance that a few of them were exclusively made for the royal family. He could see one or two about war strategies and providing medical aid, and even one about plant life, likely noting things that were and weren’t safe for Humans to use. Even if there weren’t that many, at least what written knowledge they did have would be useful if the situation called for it, and the likelihood of that happening wasn’t anything to scoff at.

As he considered this, the slight gleam of a golden crest caught his eye, and the journal he’d been looking for came into view. After carefully setting other things aside, he picked it up and examined the cover for a moment. At first glance, it had looked pristine, practically brand new. But upon further inspection, he could see the dents, the slightly faded edges of the cover design, and the thin scratches from where it had been accidentally dropped; numerous times, if the sheer amount was anything to go by.

There was no doubt that this little journal was being put to immense use.

He debated opening it to glance at a few pages, but quickly dismissed the thought. While he was sure the Princess would’ve retrieved it herself if it held her innermost thoughts and musings, and she’d already stated that it contained information about potential threats, it still didn’t seem right to pry into a personal belonging of hers. She had asked him many personal questions, yes, but she had _asked;_ in a polite manner that understood and respected the fact that he might not wish to answer. He could certainly do the same in return. Nodding to himself at this conclusion, he began to make his way to the war tent.

But the moment his back was turned, he felt an electrifying jolt race down his spine, leaving behind an uncomfortable tingling in the back of his neck.

Someone was watching him.

That in and of itself wasn’t something new to him. Having someone’s wary, fearful eyes carefully following his every move was more common for him than he cared to admit.

But this? This was alarmingly different. The gaze that had him rooted to the spot felt as if it was seeping into his skin with a sense of _knowing,_ as if it could predict every move he might possibly make, and was merely waiting curiously to see which it would be. He almost felt like the pages of the book he held, paper thin, and completely transparent when held in the right light. And yet, he couldn’t determine if there was any maliciousness behind it. He felt unsettled to be sure, but he didn’t know if he was in danger or not. And though he glanced around, searching for any clue of someone else being present, there was nothing and no one to be found.

After a few moments, the feeling washed away from him, leaving him confused and slightly rattled. He turned to look behind him, but found himself alone. Well, as alone as one could get in a military camp site…

But regardless, whoever or whatever it was had gone as quickly as it had come, and he wondered if he should tell the Princess. On the one hand, it didn’t seem like there was much to tell, but on the other, they had already faced hordes of monsters, and there was no telling what other kinds of creatures Cia had control of. He would at least mention it, if nothing else; even if it turned out to be nothing, he would rather be safe than sorry.

With this in mind, he took another quick glance behind him, then turned back and resumed his path to the war tent, where he would likely spend the next couple of hours trying to help the Princess make sense of what they’d found.

It would be a long night…

But, if they could find even a minor clue, it would be a night well spent.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Violet eyes watched intently as the Dragon Knight walked away.

The message hadn’t gotten through quite as clearly as intended. But, upon seeing the heavily armored knight head deeper into the camp with a familiar book in hand, there was no doubt that things were headed in the right direction.

It was difficult to say that it would stay that way, though.

After all, there were many other factors to consider when tampering with fate, no matter the goa. It could have very easily gone off course if he hadn’t turned away, and instead chosen to investigate. But, it seemed that fate was in a favorable mood. 

For now.

A dark cloak was wrapped tighter around its wearer, as the amethyst gaze narrowed.

It may have gone well thus far, but it would take little to destroy what progress had been made. Which, if the desired outcome was to be achieved, had to be prevented.

But, if things continued to go this smoothly, then soon enough, everything would fall into place, just as fate designed. And the Dragon Knight, one of the key pieces to these events, was well on his way to fulfilling his role. 

Though, whether or not he actually would, only time could tell.

Satisfied, if only temporarily, the figure stood once the knight had disappeared from view, then immediately turned and vanished into the dark woods. The series of events that would lead to Hyrule’s ruin, or prosperity, had been set into motion, and now the other pieces had to make a move.

All that remained, was to ensure they fell in the right place.


End file.
